A Breeze
by Raven in the Ash Tree
Summary: After Lancelot left his tribe he lost all contact with them. But what happens when Arthur buys and frees a group of Sarmatian slaves and one happens to look very familiar. And to add to the drama, Tristan seems to have an eye for the woman.
1. Prologue

A terrible wind wrapped and bit at the carefully treading Sarmatians as they were forced to move behind the Roman slave traders. Within the small group of Sarmatians there were two small children, the youngest only being six summers and the older being thirteen summers. They dragged their feet slowly, and when they got too far behind, the slow moving but careful Roman would lash at their feet with a tattered rawhide whip. Their ankles were rubbed raw and the bottoms of their bare feet bled slowly.

"Sister, it's cold." The younger whimpered, wrapping her thin cloak tighter around her small body. The older smiled sadly and dropped back to keep pace with the girl.

"I know Bega. I know." The older girl whispered, picking her sister up and tucking her own cloak over Bega's face. The blue eyed girl looked up at the night sky and whimpered softly. The night reminded her of the darkness that swallowed up her family.

"Sister, do you ever thing we'll ever see Lancelot again?" Bega asked, tears filling her eyes. Lancelot was their older brother and he had been taken away from them the same year Bega had been born. Their mother had just enough strength that day to see her son off. He never got the chance to meet Bega before he was taken to be incorporated into the Roman military. And one day he would return to find his baby sister gone and his mother no longer alive. Before the elder sister could answer she was interrupted.

"Ailith, hurry along. Try to get to the front." One of the older women beside the older girl said, squeezing her shoulder. "You know that they feed the ones up front first." Ailith looked up at the woman with tired eyes. "Go on now." She nudged the girl along, watching her weave between the other Sarmatians, none of them stopping the two girls, some even greeting them and nudging them along.

Up at the front of the group Ailith set Bega down and continued walking, holding the younger girls hand. It was easier not to fall behind when at the front. The older men and women nudged them along; waiting patiently for the Roman's to stop.

"I wonder where we're going." One of the teenage girls wondered aloud. One of the men, Dax, Ailith remembered, spat at the ground and continued his long glare at the Roman's backs.

"We'll be sold off. Maybe together, maybe not. We'll probably be separated within different noble houses, or sold to some military scum." He growled before shifting the bag on his back. That was the most they were able to bring if they had the time to pack. Ailith and Bega hadn't been so lucky, so they were forced to rely on the kindness of their countrymen. After a while the Romans stopped the group and set up camp. Two of the five men, not including the one watching the Sarmatians, came around the group with a large bowl of bread and cheese, handing out one of each to each person. When one reached the two girls he grinned wolfishly and picked up Ailith.

"This brat will get a fine price once she's old enough." His partner laughed and watched as the other carefully examined the girl. She hung there, limp and her face cold. "What pretty eyes." The Roman murmured, staring into Ailith's grey orbs. After a long stare down between the Sarmatian child and the Roman, the later finally shuttered at the absolutely hollow look in her eyes and set the girl down on her feet.

"Won't get much if she's like that though." The other Roman frowned before moving down. His partner stared once more down at the girl before shaking his head and following the other Roman.

"Better watch yourself now Ailith. He'll have his eye on you." Ailith's hollow eyes filled with fear at Dax's words. But his warm hand on her head relieved her of her worries. None of the others would let anything happen to her or her sister.

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><p>All Characters and plot goes to the makers of the movie King Arthur. It was an amazing movie :)<p> 


	2. Chapter One

It had been a hard night for them all, especially for Ailith and the men of their little group. Over the past seven seasons Ailith and Bega had stayed within the same slave group. They had been traded within the Roman Empire more times than they could count now. The younger of the two was now thirteen and her elder sister was now in her twentieth season. Bega had taken it upon herself to help with odd jobs within their small group which was once again on the road, leading to their next sale. And Ailith had two jobs, she was the apprentice healer, learning from an old man names Tate, but she also helped protect and fight for her small family. It disgusted the Roman's that had bought them last; he had cut their already small group in half and decided to sell the half with Ailith and Bega in it. And the night before, there had been a strong windstorm within the valleys of Britain, killing one of their own, decreasing their number even more. Ailith had spent the night digging with Dax, making a grave beside the forest for the woman no older than her.

"Oy, Roman!" Eadric, a man only a little bit older then Ailith, called to their new slave drivers that were sitting in a large carriage. One looked up with a glare, fixing his cold eyes on the Sarmatian who spoke up. "Where ya takin' us now?"

"To Hadrian's Wall, we've yet to sell any slaves there yet and our master wanted to see how much you scum would sell for." Ailith glared at the man, her fingers twitching as she pictured how many ways she could kill the Roman man. Eadric snorted and fell back in step with Bega and Ailith. All of them hated the Romans but only Eadric and Dax opened their mouths against the men. One of the Sarmatians in the back started whispering, loud enough for only his countrymen to hear.

"We should fight back before more of us are sold off and killed." He hissed and Ailith recognized the voice of Penn, an older man in his later years. He had been the most silent up until this moment. Ailith looked back, catching the eye of Dax who simply rolled his gold coloured eyes. The dark haired girl chuckled lightly before putting her hand on her sisters' shoulder. She leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"Make sure you stay far away from Penn on this trip." Bega gave her sister an odd look before nodding and continuing her silent walk. The path they were being led down was very long. The dirt paved path seemed to go forever and with very short and few breaks the days seemed to stretch out.

"We can attack while they sleep!" Penn continued and was answered with agreeing murmurs. Ailith's grey eyes darkened and narrowed while listening to the voices behind her.

"Penn, these Romans have swords and other weapons and can easily over take our twelve people." The dark haired woman silently agreed, tilting her head slightly in order to hear the conversation better.

"But we have the advantage of surprise. Our group has never rebelled against the Romans and now they wouldn't be expecting it." It seemed as though Eadric had finally gotten fed up with the old man's ranting and turned to force himself to the back of the group. He took the man's collar in his fist and raised him to his toes.

"If ya do this you'll be riskin' all of your lives." Eadric hissed, his eyes glaring daggers. Penn gasped but kept silent, his eyes wide, making his shrunken face seem even more withered.

"You back there! Cut it out!" The Romans yelled from in front of Ailith, Bega and Dax. The three of them turned their heads slightly, still keeping up with the carriage. The dirty blond put the older man down slowly before shoving him and quickly jogging back up to the group. The Roman in the back kicked Penn in the leg and ordered him to keep moving. Once they he caught up he hissed something so quiet that Ailith couldn't make it out.

They set camp only once the sun had fallen. Many of the older Sarmatians took their seats around the fire made for them while the others sat in smaller groups. With only twelve of them left together there were only three groups. The oldest, ranging from forty seasons to sixty seasons only had four members; Radley, Sigga, Tate and Ward. The second group had five within it, everyone between twenty five seasons and thirty seasons; Thorn, Penn, Dax, Daisy and Eba. The final group was only three people; Eadric, Ailith and Bega. But even from their small group, the youngest of the group could still hear the chatter among the others. Penn was once again going on about rebelling, having both the group of adults and the elder Sarmatians listening intently. Ailith really couldn't blame them though. They had now been serving Romans for seven years and the only breaks were when they traveled to be sold again. And even then they had it hard.

"He's goin' to get us killed." Eadric growled under his breath, also listening in on the others conversations. Ailith nodded, her eyes reflecting the stars that she watched. The night was always her favourite time. It was peaceful and the Romans didn't bother them after dark other than for food and water. At night she could hear the spirits of the land moving and growing in their respectful places. She could hear the stories that the elder trees told and the giggles of the fresh flowers. Bega had once asked her why she listened to the night. She had replied easily enough, telling the girl that nature was innocent but harsh and cold but also very honest. The younger girl shook her head and continued to eat. Now though, Ailith could see the younger girl listening just as she did.

"And once we're all dead and gone, what will the Romans have to sell?" Ailith murmured softly, not wanting to break the silence more the necessary.

"They'd go back to selling cattle, sheep and horses." Bega answered, her voice probably even softer then Ailith's. Bega had grown to be a quiet girl who never disobeyed, or spoke back. She never spoke her mind and did as she was told. Her short fair hair was thick and made her hazel eyes stand out only slightly. The others had said that she had a simple beauty, but Ailith seemed to be the only one who saw under all of it and could see the happy girl that was hiding behind past events. Ailith on the other hand had grown tall and slim, breaking away from her childish body. Her hair grew out to the center of her back, effectively hiding scars and marks left behind by former Roman lords. Her eyes were the same hollow grey as when she was first taken from her home.

Halfway through the night, a battle cry woke the small group of young adults from their sleep. Rubbing her eyes, Ailith found herself looking at a blood stained camp. Romans were fighting back against Sarmatians who had found large branches or heavy rocks to try and kill their enemies. But the Romans had their weapons and had already retaliated, killing off the offending outlanders. In their rage one walked towards Ailith's group. The three of them quickly stood and moved back.

"Damn Sarmatian scum!" He shouted before swinging his sword in a wide arch. Eadric moved the girls back, getting scratch in the arm with the tip of the sword. Another Roman caught hold of his comrade around the waist and pulled the man back.

"We can't kill them all you dimwit!" He shouted, grabbing the sword from the others hands and smacking him over the head. "We have to sell _something_. You three, go gather the others and get in line." Still slightly shocked of the outcome of the night, the three made their way around the bloody battle field, if you could even call it that. They found that Dax had gone to protect the elder Sarmatians that didn't fight, only saving two of the four. So it was just them, Dax, Tate and Sigga. They gathered at the end of the carriage and soon found their arms bound in tight, thick rope.

"Can't have you lot running off or trying to kill us again." The Roman who had secured the rope to the Sarmatians muttered before jumping into the back of the carriage.

"Stupid Pagans." The one behind the small group hissed, using his whip to lash at their heels. Bega hissed out in pain, tugging at her ropes to try and get away from the stinging blows. Dax grumbled something about being used to the pain now while Eadric and Ailith simply winced each time they were hit.

Hadrian's Wall was everything Ailith had pictured; a large wall splitting the entire island in half. Seventy-three miles of cold stone separating the nation into two. North and South. The group of six stared in wonder as they came closer to one of the few gates all across the wall.

"A new life awaits us on the other side, Ailith." The strong voice of Ailith's mentor, Tate said as he walked slowly behind the woman. Grey eyes watched the wall get closer, until the gates before them opened to let them view a fast valley, no trees in sight, spotted with flocks of sheep. Directly down the wall on the other side was another wall, housetops showing on the other side.

"Get a move on!" Lashes started once again on their legs. Ailith glanced back, glaring at the Roman. Above them a hawk sounded, making the group look up. The beautiful bird circled them, sunlight dancing on its brown wings.

"Open the gates!" Bega and Ailith looked back to the village walls, watching the gate open slowly. They stepped through and were immediately met with the sounds and sights of many people bustling along the streets. Ailith looked back and forth, taking in the small village with wide eyes. She'd seen cities of all sizes and she had lived in her small tribe. But never had she seen such a close nit village before. It made her wonder about the relationships that had grown here.

"Don't get distracted, young one." Sigga whispered from beside the dark haired woman. Sigga was now the eldest of the six, Tate being the second eldest but both were healers. Blessed and trained by the Goddess herself. "If you fall behind there will be no mercy for you." As the icy words left the older woman's mouth, Ailith knew they were true. Romans had no mercy for anyone but themselves.

"We will bring them to Arthur Castus, Commander here. And he will more than likely buy a few of these Pagan rats." The Romans said, glaring down at the Sarmatians. Ailith and Eadric glared right back, stone and emerald meeting the Roman. He shook his head and continued on.

The Romans brought the Sarmatians inside the gates of the fortress. The gates shut behind them will a loud clang, reminding Ailith of every time she had been locked indoors and away from the night. The Roman that tied them cut their bonds and pushed each back a bit.

"You will stay here, I will announce our arrival." He decided, telling the other Romans before walking into the guarded building.

"This is our new home now, Ailith, Bega. Do not take it for granted." Tate whispered to the sisters, using Ailith to keep himself upright. The dark haired woman narrowed her eyes before gripping her teachers hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to Bega and smiled.

"Bega will you go and make sure Sigga is well? And stay with her, just in case." The young girl nodded and quickly went to bring the old woman to them. It was routine that the Sarmatians had gotten into. The youngest would help the oldest, keeping together while the older men stood before them, guarding them from Romans. Once Bega and Sigga were back and close to the other two, Dax took his place in front of Ailith and Eadric stood before Bega.

"Ailith, do you remember where they took your brother all those years ago?" Tate suddenly asked, his eyes looking up towards the blue sky. The sky might have been blue but below mist was starting to arise. It brushed against Ailith's face, almost as if a young woman was brushing her hand against her cheek. She shook her head and frowned.

"I was only seven at the time, Tate. You know this." Tate was the last member with them that was from the same tribe as Ailith and Bega. Dax, Sigga and Eadric were from tribes farther away from their own.

"It is said that their post was in Britain, at the Great Wall." That sentence startled the woman, her eyes widening slightly as the image of her elder brother flashed through her mind. His curly dark hair and equally dark eyes. His kind smile and expressive personality. Ailith turned to the old man with wide eyes before turning back to the barracks.

"That can't be." She whispered, staring in disbelief at the structure. She hadn't seen any living family in thirteen long years. But there was also a chance that he had died during those thirteen years. Ailith straightened and shook her head to rid herself of the thoughts.

"Ailith?" Bega called quietly beside her, blue eyes filled with locked up emotion.

"No, even if he were alive there would be no chance of either of us recognizing one another. I am not the seven seasoned girl he left behind those years ago. I have changed much and he will have as well if he hasn't died." The young woman's voice was filled will cold determination. She refused to hope, for a hope was not something a slave needed. Beside her Tate sighed with a sad smile for his apprentice.

Two Romans walked out from the fortress after a while. The newer Roman was strange. He didn't look down at the Sarmatians with hate or cold looks; instead he looked with pity and sympathy. Ailith growled softly. She hated being treated with pity. The others straightened out, weary of the Romans behind them, each holding a whip of their own. But the young woman simply glared hard at the Roman Commander, her grey orbs turning stormy and dark.

"These are the slaves you wish to sell?" The Commander asked, catching Bega's eye. The young girl straightened and looked down at his feet.

"Get in a line, scum." The slave seller commanded his voice raising. Tate moved away from Ailith, but the girl never moved and inch. The Roman raised an eyebrow before nodding to his comrades behind them. Suddenly a loud 'snap' was heard. Ailith winced, tears burning her eyes. But she forced down the pain and moved slowly into line. With soft eyes the Commander moved in front of them and asked for their names.

"My name is Eadric, sir." The youngest man in their group told the Roman officer with his head down. The commander nodded and rested his hand of the younger man's shoulder before moving down.

"Sigga." The oldest woman said clearly which slightly surprised Ailith since Sigga had never been very loud when meeting other potential 'masters'. The Roman man nodded with another smile but his eyes widened slightly when he got to Bega. He must not have noticed just how young the girl was. But now he seemed surprised.

"And who might you be?" He asked, looking down at the short Sarmatian girl. Bega flinched but answered her name in a soft voice. "That is a lovely name. Do you know what it means?" Ailith rolled her eyes and stared harder at the slave seller behind the Roman officer.

"I-It means life, sir."

"Their mother named her that for her son who had been brought here to be knight." Tate said from beside Bega, looking fondly at the girl. Bega looked up and the man's knees and nodded slightly. Ailith watched carefully as the Commander's eyes widened farther before anger seemed to fill is green pools.

"These people are Sarmatian?" He demanded, turning back to the slave seller. The man gave a shaky nod before backing up slightly. The other Roman turned back to Bega and asked her a very simple but meaningful question. "How long have you been being sold?" Bega frowned before looking down the line at Ailith. She sighed and stepped out of line.

"We have been being sold back and forth within the Roman Empire for seven years, sir. Bega is the youngest of us. She was only six when the Romans came to our tribe." Ailith stepped back again, but continued to watch the Roman officer.

"Jols, do you have the money I asked for?" The man called behind him. A small, round man came forward with a small pouch. Even from a distance Ailith could hear the gold coins clanging together. The small man handed the Commander the pouch which he carelessly tossed to the slave seller. "There is you money, now leave." The Romans stared at him with wide eyes before gathering their things and leaving the barracks as quickly as they could. Dax leaned down to Ailith and whispered to her.

"The only time I've ever seen a Roman move so fast was when Cwenhild yanked down that one Romans pants." Ailith giggled quietly to herself from the memory, gaining a grin from the man. He straightened out once again when the officer moved down to their end of the line.

"Your names?" Tate grinned, showing off rather clean teeth.

"Tate, sir." He moved on to Dax and finally reached Ailith. But when he got to her his surprise was clear on his face. His eyes held a look of familiarity as he stared down at the dark haired woman.

"My name is Ailith, sir. I am Bega's elder sister." The Commander nodded but took her chin in his fingers. He tilted her head up and searched her face.

"You have a brother? His name?" Ailith frowned, her already dark eyes turning to a shade that was almost black.

"His name was Lancelot, but I haven't seen him since he left our tribe thirteen years ago." He released her and walked back a few steps before pacing.

"Arthur?" Jors called in concern. Suddenly the Roman, Arthur, stopped and turned to the Sarmatians with a look of acceptance.

"You are now free. I do not need slaves in this town. You may leave or stay; it is your own choice. But you two-"He pointed to the two sisters "-You will stay here for the current moment." Everyone paused for a long time before Sigga burst into tears of joy.

"Do you hear that child? We're free." She said to Bega, hugging the little girl close to her. Eadric grinned, turning to Tate and they clapped their hands to each other's shoulders. Ailith and Dax were the only ones who didn't celebrate. Dax watched the young woman with curious eyes as she stared hard at Arthur.

"Ailith, what's goin' through that brain of yours?" He asked quickly, relaxing his stiff shoulders.

"That man knows something. And it's got something to do with my brother." She said, wrapping her arms around herself. It had been a long time before she had even thought about finding her brother. She had still been a child when she would dream about going home and finding him waiting there for her. Dax grabbed her shoulders and turned her to him.

"Cheer up, Ailith. We're free people now. Well, as free as we can be." He said with a slight grin. Ailith stared at him long and hard for a moment before her shoulders slumped and she dropped her head. "That a girl." Dax laughed softly and pulled the woman in for a hug.

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><p><strong>All characters that do not belong to me belong to the makers of the movie King Arthur :)<strong>


	3. Chapter Two

Inside the fortress Ailith could feel the temperature decrease as they went farther and farther into the building. Arthur was leading them at a slow pace, letting the sisters get a look at their surroundings. He led them into a large room where a table in the shape of a circle filled nearly the entire space. Around the table were many chairs, each having been for a specific person at one point. Ailith took Bega's hand and led the girl to the table. She picked up the girl and set her on the table.

"Better?" Ailith asked, taking off Bega's shoes. The younger nodded with a sigh of relief.

"Ailith, I can barely believe that we're free now." Bega said with a large smile. The dark haired woman nodded with a small smile. That was one of the few things the girls shared. They had the same lips and would probably have the same body form once Bega had grown up a bit more. Other than that, they were complete opposites.

"I know, Bega. It will take a lot to get used to a new life anywhere. And it's not like we can go home." Grey eyes hardened as she said that. It was true, if the two of them ever tried to return on their own to Sarmatia they would likely be killed before reaching it. And it wasn't like anyone would be there to greet them. "We'll probably just have to stay here." Ailith finished, receiving a larger smile from Bega.

"But there's nothing wrong with that! I like it here." The girl said happily, kicking her legs back and forth.

"You can stay here as long as you with to. It's not like others will complain." Arthur said from behind them, making Ailith jump and turn quickly to face the Roman. Her body instinctively moved between Bega and the knight. "There's no need for that. I won't hurt either of you. And I've asked for an emergency meeting with my knights. They should be here soon." Arthur said slowly, his hands crossed over his chest. Ailith slowly nodded and hopped up on the table beside her sister.

"I really do want to stay here." Said Bega quietly now, reverting back to her normal, quiet nature. The young girl took the chance to lean against Ailith and close her eyes. "Tonight will you tell me a story?" Ailith frowned and looked down at the girl, a questioning gaze on her face. "The one you used to tell me. The one about the fairies." Ailith blinked before smiling and nodding.

"Of course." Ailith replied just before two men walked into the large room. They walked with a natural bounce, keeping pace with each other easily.

"Arthur, you wanted to see us?" The one who spoke had long and untamed golden hair, blue eyes and a kind, unshaved face. He was tall, an average height with a strong build. His companion was smaller than him, but still had a warriors build. His hair was a brown messy disaster that hung just above his eyes. He looked oddly young, probably around the same age as Ailith.

"Yes, a small meeting once everyone is here. Girls, what skills do you have?" Arthur suddenly asked, walking away from his spot across from the sisters and went to greet the other two.

"I have some healing skills. I'm still an apprentice healer. But I also have skills with a blade and bow. Bega can cook extraordinarily and we both can clean and tend to horses." Ailith answered, keeping her eyes on the three men, nudging Bega into a sitting position. Arthur nodded, only mildly surprised that she could fight. Another man walked into the room, his movements slower than the other two. He was about the same height as the messy haired man and his build was tougher. His short hair made his green eyes very noticeable.

"There you are Percival. We had thought you'd already gotten to drunk." The kind faced man said with a grin, grasping his friends shoulder. Ailith watched the small group of men closely and even the smallest child could see that these men had a strong bond.

"I would have been too, if you and Bors hadn't been yelling at me the entire time." The man, Percival grinned back, not taking any offence to the words.

"I wonder how many there are." Bega whispered, instantly alerting the new man to their presence. At this moment the three knights looked back at Ailith and Bega together. Percival smiled kindly while the messy haired one frowned and the other simply watched. They could see that one of the girls looked an awful lot like one of their fellow knights. The other didn't have the same eye shape or dark hair colour as her other two siblings.

"There are eight of us knights left. Eight out of forty." The kind looking one said his blue eyes downcast. Bega nodded slowly and forced herself to look away from the knights just as three more walked in.

"Bors, Dag, where've you two been?" Percival asked, walking over to two of the three. One was very tall with a muscular build and faint scars across his face and shaved head. The other was much shorter and a bit round. He seemed to carry a more aggressive stance when he walked unlike the giant who walked with quiet ease. The last of the three caught Ailith's eye. She turned her head towards where he stood in the far corner of the room. The shadows blending with him, as if trying to swallow him whole but the woman could still make out his features. He was tall, maybe about the same height as Arthur or maybe a little taller. He had a firm build but was also thin. His dark brown hair was twisted into a few braids, letting the rest of his hair fall around his neck. Ailith could tell he had a dark beard covering his chin and upper lip. But he was too far to see his eyes under his bangs. Ailith could make out small triangular marks on his cheekbones, the points facing inwards. He looked like a very interesting, if not drawn in, man.

"Two more." Ailith muttered, looking away from the mysterious man and turned to face Bega who was fiddling with a small portion of her hair. Ailith chuckled and gently tugged at the fair hair. The grey eyed woman was bored and tired of waiting. By this time, normally she'd be mucking out horse stalls or making the bread needed for dinner. This new life would definitely need some getting used to.

"Has anyone seen the Erec?" Arthur asked the chatting knights, drawing their attention back to the present.

"Yeah, last I saw he was cleaning himself up after falling into some manure. Again." The other men laughed, even Arthur chuckled at the thought.

Just then the last two knights walked in. The first was a lanky man with slightly wet, brown hair and an angular face. He was tall, smaller than the giant man, but still tall. The last man though was hauntingly familiar. Curly dark hair, a tall lean figure with eyes as dark as night. The other men that had been observing the sisters earlier looked between the two older siblings and frowned. Ailith accidentally let out a sharp gasp of air, her eyes wide with wonder and hope. Inwardly she grimaced, pulling back her emotions. Hope was _not_ for slaves.

The dark knight turned with a confused expression, wondering what his fellow knights were staring at only to be met with a strange sight. Two girls seated on the round table, watching him with strangely familiar eyes. When he looked at the younger he was immediately reminded of his mother and the elder looked like his father only with the exception of his grandmothers eyes.

"Ailith, is that him?" The younger whispered, turning her head slightly to the older girl. She didn't respond, only watched the man with her hollow eyes.

"Lancelot." It suddenly hit the knight like an avalanche. They looked like his parents because they were of the same blood as him. The older girl had his grandmother's eyes because she was her granddaughter. They were the sisters that Lancelot had heard crying for him thirteen years ago and in his dreams even now. The young woman stood up, watching the knight stare at her with a confused frown. He took a step closer to the woman, who took a step back, pain flashing through her eyes.

Ailith wouldn't go to him. She refused. There was no way that this Lancelot was the same Lancelot from her past. That man had died. He _must_ have died. The man before her looked like her Lancelot and his eyes showed the familiarity that Ailith had been hoping to see for seven years, but she couldn't accept it and she didn't know why.

"Ailith." The dark haired knight whispered, a hand reaching out to the woman. She took another step back and shook her head, glaring up at the man. From behind him Arthur rested a hand on Lancelot's shoulder and gave it a tight squeeze before leading the man back a bit and nodding to the others. They slowly went to their respectful seats around the round table, watching the girls with questioning looks.

Arthur waved his hand towards the chairs beside him and watched with a soft smile as the youngest nervously slide from the table and seated herself beside the Roman. Ailith watched carefully, slowly making her way to join the two. Once everyone was seated Arthur folder his hands together in front of him on the table.

"Now that we are all here there was a certain event that I would like to discuss." Arthur paused to glance around the table, taking in each of the knight's expression. All of them seemed confused or neutral, simply waiting for him to continue. "A group of slave drivers from Rome brought a small group of slaves into the village. I was to buy these slaves to add to the servants. During my questioning I had learned that those slaves were Sarmatians." A few of the knights made soft sounds of anger or shock, looking back to the young girls. "The group was only made of six people, all from different tribes?" Arthur asked, turning towards Ailith. She shook her head and stared down at the table.

"There used to be more of us. At one point there had been an entire tribe and then the others. From those of us remaining there are four tribes." Arthur nodded and turned back to his knights.

"Yes they have been bought by the fortress but I have released them. I've asked for rooms to be made up for four of them by the tavern but these two will stay with you knights. I think Lancelot would prefer to have them close by. Their rooms will be made on same floor as yours." The knights nodded, but Ailith could still see the anger in their eyes. Arthur stood, signalling the end of their meeting. The men stood, offering small smiles or nods to the two females sitting awkwardly in their chairs still. Bega stared long and hard at the dark knight that her elder sister used to tell her stories about. And he was just as Ailith had told, a strong knight with the features of their father. But the pained gaze in his eyes nearly brought tears to Bega's eyes. She knew what pained him but also knew that her sister wouldn't look twice at the man right now. She would do everything in her power to avoid him.

Ailith looked behind her when she felt a new weight settle on her shoulder. The grey eyed beauty stared up at the dirt blond haired knight, his blue eyes sparkling. He pulled out her chair for her and allowed her to stand while he walked out to the large doors.

"I'll help you find you room." He said with a smile. Ailith stared at him with slightly narrowed eyes. He was odd. But he seemed like someone she could trust. So, after helping Bega out of her chair the two of them followed the knight outside the large room and outdoors.

With careful eyes both girls studied the path that the knight was taking them down. It wasn't very far from the building they had been in, so it would be easy to get back to, and the tavern was close by as well. They would easily be able to visit the other Sarmatians that they had become so close to. The knight took them to a building that was two stories at the most. The knight turned to the girls and smiled.

"I am Gawain by the way. After I show you to your rooms I'll show you to the tavern where you can get some food." Gawain led them up the set of stairs at the side of the building, leading up to the second floor where Ailith found a long row of doors. A large space was set out in front of the rooms so that there would be space for everyone to leave at the same time. And if you looked across from the doors there was an amazing view of the village behind wooden rails.

"What is this place called?" Bega asked, tightening her hand in around her sisters. She too had been glancing over the rail to see the village. The knight paused and shrugged.

"For as long as I can remember we've called this place Castellum. The building that we had the meeting in was the fortress. It's the base for our military work." He explained before stopping down the hall at the last two doors. "I'm guessing that both are yours. You can decide who gets which." Gawain told them, leaning back against the railing while watching Bega and Ailith open the two doors.

"It doesn't really matter who gets which." Ailith murmured, seeing that both were the same size and shape. Gawain nodded as the girls closed the doors and returned to him. Ailith took a long look at the village before turning to the fair haired knight. "My name is Ailith, and my sister is Bega." She felt as though she could trust this man. He gave off a friendly air and she knew that she would come to enjoy Gawain's company. The knight grinned, and gave a mock bow.

"A pleasure, my lady." Ailith smirked and shook her head.

"I'm nowhere near a lady." And with that Gawain straightened out, his grin still in place and he led them back down the hall, down the stairs and into the streets.

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><p>"Vanora! I got two hungry girls here!" Gawain yelled through the tavern. He nudged the two towards the group of Sarmatian knights that were sitting together beside the kitchen. Ailith gave the knight a nervous smile before letting him push her along. The dark haired woman seated herself beside the messy haired knight who seemed the least threatening. She nodded to the chair beside the giant man for Bega to sit, felling Gawain seating himself beside her. Bega paused for a moment, watching the tall man before sitting down carefully.<p>

The knights could easily feel the girl's nervousness and tension. And Ailith knew that they could. Neither one of the sisters tried hard to hide it. A red haired woman came towards their table, carrying two plates. She set the tableware in front of the two newcomers and smiled.

"So you are the others that Sigga keeps telling me about." Bega perked up at the familiar name. "My name is Vanora, come see me at any time you need." She said, moving towards the short and rounder knight, kissing his on the lips quickly before going back to the kitchen. Gawain faced Ailith and stood, taking her hands and pulling her up as well.

"Come, I'll introduce you to everyone." He decided, pulling the woman to the other side of the table. Ailith noted that not all the knights could be seen at the table. At the other end Gawain maneuvered the woman in front of the knight with brown hair and an angular face. "This is Erec, he's our horse tamer." Both men chuckled, Erec standing and holding his hand out to Ailith. She hesitated a moment before placing her hand in the man's much large one and forcing herself to shake her hand up a bit before letting go. She really wasn't in a mood for physical contact. Next to stand was the short knight with his shaved head. "This is Bors. Vanora is his lover and they probably have the more children then I care to admit."

"Nine. The youngest is a month old now." Bors said with a proud smile, shaking Ailith's hand before sitting back down. The woman looked between the two knights and smiled slightly.

"My name is Ailith and my sister is Bega." They nodded and Gawain dragged her off to the next two knights. These two were Percival and Lancelot.

"Lancelot and Percival. They seem to be having a match to see how many of these Barmaids they can get in their beds." A flash of heat went up to Ailith's cheeks before she turned to Gawain with a sour look.

"I didn't need to know that." The men burst out in laughter, or at least Percival and Gawain did. Lancelot simply glared up at the fair haired knight. The woman turned back to Percival and gave another of her small smiles. "I'm Ailith, she's Bega." She told the man, ignoring the dark haired knight beside her. Gawain gave her a curious look before moving her down to the last two.

"This Dagonet. He's more like out healer but he is also an extraordinary fighter. And he's Galahad, the youngest of us knights." Dagonet was the giant who she had seated Bega beside and Galahad was the young, messy haired knight. She nodded to the two men, feeling that they were a bit calmer than the others. Or at least Dagonet was. Galahad stood and instead of a normal hand shake he embraced the woman around the shoulders.

"Welcome to hell." He said, in a joking manner. But even if Ailith could see the good humour, she could also see that that was exactly how these knights felt about Camelot. Ailith didn't return the hug but she still gave the young man a slightly larger smile then the others had gotten.

Ailith and Gawain settled back in their seats, finding still warm food and a mug of ale at their spots. "So now you know just about everyone. The only person we're missing is Tristan. You'll know him when you see him." Gawain informed her. She nodded and thought back to the mysterious knight who had stayed farther away from the group. "He's our scout really. And he's probably the most antisocial of us." She had figured that just by the quick look she had gotten of him.

Ailith and Bega stayed at the tavern for a while after they finished supper, just watching and learning about their countrymen. It was obvious how close they all were. Though some, such as Galahad, had a less them healthy relationship with a few others. Gawain had told Ailith that Galahad wasn't the biggest fan of Tristan and his ways on the battlefield and she knew the feeling that the young man had. She had seen many battles now, and though it didn't make her physically ill anymore, she still didn't have a taste for killing. He also told her that Lancelot and Arthur were very close, best friends you could say. The same went for Bors and Dagonet who spent a lot of their spare time together. But once the sun had completely fallen and the village was under the cover of night Ailith decided it was time to turn in. She bid Galahad and Gawain good night before leading Bega back to their rooms.

Once Bega had been sent to bed and thier story was finished, Ailith sat at the small table at the back of her own room, her eyes glued to the large window beside the table. Behind her there was a single bed with white, cotton sheets and a thick quilt and a hearth on the opposite wall. From the view from the window there was a large field for the horses. A place for them to roam or for the knights or soldiers to ride. It made Ailith think back to the family horse that Lancelot had ridden here on. The black stallion that their father used to tell stories about. He used to say that fallen knights always came back to their people in the form of beautiful stallions. Protecting their riders from the dangers that they had faced in their previous life.

A knock at her door disturbed Ailith from her musing. She stood from the old wooden chair and went to the door, opening it slowly. On the other side was the familiar dark haired knight. He stared down at Ailith with equally familiar black eyes. The same eyes their father had. Grey eyes widened slightly before Ailith caught herself and quickly narrowed them. "What do you want?" She questioned, hands on her hips.

In one quick move Lancelot had pressed the woman to his chest, his arms tightly wrapped around her shoulders and his cheek resting against her hair. Ailith could feel the man shaking slightly as he breathed in her scent and ran one hand through her dark hair. When he finally pulled away he was smiling slightly, digging one hand into a pocket on his shirt the other resting on Ailith's shoulder. Slowly he pulled out his fisted hand, opening it to reveal a carving. With wide eyes, the woman drew a hand up and took the wood from the knight's hand, rubbing her fingers over the carved beasts head. It was the trinket that Ailith had given her brother before he left the tribe with the Romans. A way to remember her and their family. Her head snapped up, wide eyes alight and slightly wet with tears. Lancelot laughed dryly, bringing his hand up to rub his thumb against his sister's cheek. He hugged Ailith once more, trapping her between his arms and chest. And for once, she didn't feel the uncomfortable need to get away. This felt conversant. Right.

"We'll talk when we get the chance." Lancelot whispered, kissing Ailith's forehead before turning and walking down the hall.

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><p><strong>All characters do not belong to me. They belong to the makers of King Arthur :)<strong>

**Note: I just realized that while I was writing this chapter that i didn't have to write 'seasons' instead of years. So if you could ignore that little mistake?**


	4. Chapter Three

The soft feeling of a bed underneath her made awaking much more pleasant for Ailith. She sighed blissfully and slowly cracked open her eyes, wincing at the dull light that was hitting her face. It must not have been that early because morning mist was still present outside the window. The woman rubbed her eyes slowly before sitting up and sliding out of her bed. The floor sent chills up her legs, making her gasp softly. Why hadn't she started a fire before going to sleep? It would have been slightly warmer now if she had. Ailith sighed once again before sliding off her nightgown and putting on a simple dark green dress that she had found sitting on the table. She ran her fingers through her unruly hair, wincing when her fingers got caught in a knot. She'd really need to get a brush sooner rather than later.

A quick knock sounded at the door before Bega trotted in, a very pleased expression on her face. Ailith laughed, sitting down on her bed. The younger girl followed, sitting beside her, fiddling with the hem on her new shirt. The thirteen year old was clade a simple brown dress and over top she wore a knitted shirt, a loose belt around her waist.

"Vanora gave it to me. She said that both of us needed some new clothes and to come see her for breakfast." Bega told her elder sister, smiling happily before getting up and spinning once for Ailith to see the entire outfit. The woman smiled and grabbed the girl's hands tightly in her own.

"We'll go down now. We have to go and thank Vanora for the very kind gifts." Bega nodded hurriedly and raced to the door. Ailith chuckled softly, seeing the new spark of life that she had thought had been lost in the girl. She was acting like the last seven years had never happened. It almost made Ailith join in the girls happy skipping. Almost.

Once at the tavern the two sisters wandered over to the kitchen. Not many people were in the area, a few villagers at most. They took a seat at one of the smaller tables, sitting across from each other while waiting. In a few moments Vanora was there, handing them two bowls of porridge.

"I wanted to thank you for the dresses." Ailith said with a small smile for the woman. Vanora frowned when she saw it. Her hand came out and patted the younger woman's cheek a little more than necessary.

"Girl, if you're goin' to smile then smile properly." She said before turning around and walking back to the kitchen. "When I come back I want to see a proper one. And think nothin' of the clothes. You girls couldn't go walkin' around in those rags forever." She said over her shoulder before disappearing into the other room. Bega silently laughed from across from her shocked sister.

"Yes, Ailith, you should smile properly more." Bega teased, leaning back in her chair.

"If you don't watch out Bega, you're going to fall off." Ailith stated dryly, eating a spoon full of her breakfast.

When Vanora got back Ailith was forced to give a proper smile, not enjoying the teasing girl or frowning woman standing beside her. So Vanora had simply shook her head and told the girls where the other Sarmatians that they came in with were. Turns out that they were staying just across the street from the tavern. The two crossed the nearly silent street and quickly knocked on the house that Vanora had pointed out. It wasn't overly big and looked quite old. Dax answered the door with a frown that immediately dropped when he saw the two standing on the other side.

"Ailith, Bega, I was beginning to think you two had forgotten about us!" He grinned, ushering them into the small house. Already, after only a night, the home smelt like herbs and salves. Ailith took a deep breath of the familiar scents and found her way to a back room where she found Tate working away, preparing some fresh herbs for drying.

"Need any help?" She asked, leaning into the door frame. The man looked up quickly, eyes narrowed before noticing who it was.

"Oh, Ailith! It's about time you came down." Said the old man, narrowed eyes changing into warm and gentle brown eyes. "I want to get back to your training right away. A certain Roman Commander had heard about your healing knowledge, asking when you might be finished you training." Ailith frowned crossing her arms across her chest and tilting her head.

"Why was Arthur asking about me or my healing practice?" She questioned eyes watching her mentor's hands as he separated the different herbs. "And how'd you get your hands on mint already?" Tate laughed at her questions before standing and brushing his hands off over the table. He walked over to the woman and took her arm, leading her up the old stairs beside his herb room. He took her to what she thought was his room and made her sit on a chair by the window.

"Arthur was interested in your abilities because he's been looking for a healer for his knights for quite some time." He started, drawing open the cloth that he had hung over the window to keep out the birds and sunlight.

"Why didn't he just ask you?" Tate gave Ailith a stern look, sitting down on the end of his bed, his arms crossed.

"Ailith, I'm getting old. I won't be able to keep up with the wounds that these knights come back with. You are my pupil, you know nearly just about everything you need to know. In a few short weeks your lessons will be over and it'll be your job to make sure those men survive their last years of service." The woman stared at Tate with bewildered eyes.

"I'm not ready for that much yet! If anything I'll end up killing them faster!" She panicked her grey eyes dark. Her mentor simply smiled, waiting patiently for the woman to calm a little.

"That is why we're going to be going over everything you've learned up until now. And for the first few times I'll help you through everything in case something goes wrong. In fact, I plan to stay with you to help just in case. Sigga will be as well." Ailith sighed heavily, running a hand through her hair and closing her eyes.

"Fine, I'll do it." Tate simply nodded like he had known the entire time what her answer would be.

"Good now come, child. We start today."

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><p>The lessons had been a lot longer and harder than what Ailith remembered. She was tested first on her knowledge of herbs and then tools. What to use in certain events and which herbs did what. They had spent the entire time going over those two things. And the next day they had found an injured cat that needed stitches. That, she had no problem with after so many times wielding a sword and making the wounds. So, they went over setting bones and removing arrows from a body. By the fourth day, Ailith was exhausted. Tate gave her the fifth day off, so she slept in, allowing Vanora to bring Bega down to the tavern. Normally the girl would sit with Sigga, starting her own studying, but she was getting a break as well.<p>

Ailith didn't wake until late morning and even then she still felt drowsy. She found her clothes, quickly changed before going down to the public bathrooms and bathing in the warm water there. She had found that there was some oils that smelt wonderful. One was a mix of mint and cinnamon that she'd rub into her dark hair and it would last for the day and into the next. She used the oils before drying off and dressing into the royal blue gown that Sigga had passed to her after supper one evening. The dress even had a matching belt with intricate designs looping through it. She had sown in different designs that would suite Ailith. The young woman sighed blissfully at the feeling of the soft fabric and quickly ran her brush through her hair. Things had changed a lot since she had come to Camelot. She felt better, more energized then when she was a slave. Almost as if the Roman land had been sucking all she was worth from her. Shaking the thought out, she took a strip of leather that Tate had given her and braided her wet hair. Depositing her brush and cloths back in her room she went down to the tavern where she was attacked by a blur of fair brown hair. Ailith laughed and hugged her sister back tightly.

"How was your day?" She asked, pulling Bega back to inspect her face. They hadn't been able to spend any time together in the few days they had been in Castellum because of their studies.

"It's been good! Lancelot came by and we talked and I've met Vanora's lover, Bors. He's kind of scary until you talk to him." Bega started explaining the rest of her day while they ate a late breakfast. Once they had finished Ailith said good bye to Bega and Vanora before leaving the tavern in search of one thing. The stables. She hadn't seen a horse in a while and it had been her job while traveling to care for the large animals with them. It was a little ways away, just down the street really from the fortress. Inside was bigger than the dark haired woman had thought. There was a large center, probably for warming up horses before long trips, a shelf which held many different weapons and bows and then there were the stalls where ten horses were minding their own business. Ailith smiled and wondered closer to the stalls.

"Hey, what are you doing in here?" Ailith turned and found Jols, the knight's personal helper. Ailith stopped mid step and narrowed her eyes. She hadn't spoken to anyone outside some Sarmatians and Vanora, she didn't want to speak to any Romans. "Oh, you're Lancelot's sister, aren't you?" Grey eyes turned hard as she stared at the man. Lancelot was hardly a brother. Blood brother yes, but there was nothing else besides that. He hadn't even tried to come find her after their brief conversation at her door.

"Yes I am. And I am here to find an old friend." She said curtly, turning her back on the small man and looking at the horses.

"An old friend?" Ailith rolled her eyes with an irritated sigh. Romans really were good for nothing. After a long moment she turned back to Jols with a scowl.

"Yes, an old friend. Now, if you could direct me to Lancelot's stallion." Jols raised an eyebrow and shook his head, clearly amused by her attitude. This made Ailith even more irritated.

"The knight's horses are in a different stable." He said with a slight chuckle. He turned and walked to the stable doors. He turned; realizing that she wasn't following made a motion to the doors. "Are you coming, my lady?" Ailith grumbled something softly before follow Jols with a glare planted on his back.

"And I'm no lady, so don't call me 'my lady'." She growled, keeping her voice low. Jols chuckled once more before leading her out into the streets.

"Whatever you say,_ my lady_."

When they stopped next it was in front of a smaller stable closer to the knight's rooms. Ailith sighed heavily before following Jols inside and immediately looking around. It was a bit smaller in this stable then the other. But there was still a large area in the center and half the room had been renovated as a weapon area where the knights could sit and prepare for missions and such. On the other side of the room was where nine filled stables stood. Ailith slowly made her way over to them, ignoring Jols completely. She walked slowly down the line, letting each horse sniff her hand before she found the one she was looking for. At the very end of the stalls stood a tall, dark coloured stallion with wide brown eyes.

Ailith slowly opened the door to the stall and smiled at the horse. She raised a hand and held it still under the stallion's large nostrils. The creature gave a large sniff and sneezed, making the woman laugh softly. "Hello Aelred." She whispered, scratching the horse's nose before moving to the horse's side to run her hand over the fur there. "You've truly led Lancelot far haven't you?" She softly spoke into the horse's ear, feeling the large animal lean into her small hand as she scratched the side of his face.

"Well he obviously remembers you as well." Jols said from the other side of the stall gate. Ailith flashed the man a glare before kissing the area she had been scratching with her short nails.

"Of course he does. He was our family's horse and only a few years old when Lancelot left." Aelred snorted and nudged his head against the woman's shoulder. Ailith smiled slightly before turning to Jols. "Is there a brush I can use?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow at the man. He nodded and quickly grabbed one out of the bucket beside Aelred's stall. He tossed the tool over to the woman, watching as she caught it easily. She turned and immediately started running the brush over the dark horse's fine fur.

Eventually Jols left to attend to his other duties and Ailith was left to her thoughts. Once she had finished brushing her brother's horse she moved on to the next. Seeing as Jols had brought her here in the first place she would probably be allowed to stay. So she let the slightly smaller stallion take in her scent, looking in wonder at the different shades of darker grey on the light grey base. When it nickered suddenly and bumped his head against her hand the woman laughed, brushing back her bangs.

"Hello there, aren't you a lovely creature." Ailith said, dropping Aelred's brush into the bucket in front of his stall and picked up the brush in the grey horses. She entered the stall and patted the stallion's neck. With closer inspection Ailith realized that the hoses base was a very light grey, but the patterns on his chest, front legs and rump were not a darker grey but a diluted brown colour. The stallion's mane was a darker brown while its tail was lighter brown near the top and faded into a white colour halfway through. "What's your name, hmm?" She spoke softly, aware that the horse was slightly nervous about her.

"His name is Cadmon. He's Tristan's horse." Ailith quickly turned around to see the youngest knight leaning against the stall gate and watching her.

"Galahad, you scared me." She said with a small smile, pressing a hand over her quickly thumping heart. The man chuckled before straightening and moving into the stall beside Cadmon's. Waiting until her heart calmed to its normal beat the dark haired woman ran her hand across the horse's back, rubbing her fingers into small areas. Tristan was the only knight that Ailith hadn't seen yet. But as far as she was concerned the man could stay away. She'd probably like his horse more than him. Quickly running the brush over the horse's neck once more she quickly patted his side before leaving Cadmon to his hay. She deposited the brush in the bucket and moved on. Galahad was combing a grey horse's mane. And once again, the grey based horse wasn't completely one colour; it had speckles of darker grey on its rump. Ailith spared the horse one quick look before leaving the stables, feeling calmer then she had in quite some time.

* * *

><p>After visiting the stables Ailith went back to the tavern where she could easily hear Vanora's lover laughing loudly. He was sitting with three of the other knights. Dagonet, Gawain and Percival. Quickly as she could, the woman crossed the open area in front of the tavern and found her sister and Vanora filling jugs with ale. She smiled slightly watching Bega smile and laugh at what the older woman said. It truly was amazing to see her like this. And as much as Ailith hated it, she only had Arthur to thank.<p>

"You two need any help?" She asked, announcing her presence to the kitchen staff and barmaids.

"Ailith! I had wondered where you'd gone off to." Vanora said with a large smile, grabbing the now full pitcher and passing it into the younger woman's hands. "And yes, you can. Go around to the tables and ask if anyone wants more to drink. I'm trying to keep Bega back here in the kitchen. And when you're done just wash off some empty tables with this." The red haired woman tucked a rag into Ailith's belt. She nodded before leaving the kitchen and walking back into the tavern.

It went on like that until dinner. Ailith would go back and forth to refill cups and wiping tables silently. She never spoke to any of the Romans, watching carefully for any man to drunk and if there was a Briton friendly enough to start up a conversation with her, she'd pause in her work and stay for a moment or two. When Vanora snatched the pitcher from Ailith's hands and took the rag she was forced to sit down at the table closest to the open kitchen. As she sat down she realized just how tired she really was. She had slept in but all that energy seemed to be gone now.

"Here you go, love." Vanora set down a plate of food in front of the dark haired woman and patted her shoulder. "Once you're done go get some sleep." Without even thinking, Ailith nodded and started to nibble on her cheese, taking small bites while watching the people around her. Many were now getting drunk since the sun was starting to set and others were leaving, slowly filling out of the area. After a few minutes she saw Lancelot walk into the open space of the tavern, looking around for familiar faces. The woman looked down quickly, trying to avoid eye contact but just as quickly her brother made his way to her table and pulled up a seat across from her.

"Lancelot." Ailith greeted with a faint nod, sticking a torn piece of bread into her mouth. The dark haired knight frowned slightly before speaking.

"I wasn't able to find you the last few days." Ailith shrugged, finishing her mouth full before putting down the morsel.

"I was studying for next week." She answered, keeping her eyes anywhere but on the man in front of her. Sure she wanted to around her brother but she knew that he wasn't the same boy who used to dance with her during the tribes bonfires or would stay in her bed when their mother was ill. He had been gone and fighting for thirteen years. She didn't know him anymore. And if she was truthful with herself, she was afraid to know him.

"Study? What are you studying?" Lancelot nodded his thanks to a barmaid who had brought him over a plate of food. But Ailith had caught the flirty smile that the woman had sent him. Ailith rolled her eyes and started cutting the meat on her plate.

"Yes, _study_. And I've been training to be a Healer for quite some time now." _But you wouldn't know that_, she thought silently to the man. The knight raised an eyebrow and turned back to face her.

"Arthur mentioned you saying that you know some fighting skills as well." Ailith nodded, popping a square piece of meat into her mouth. "Who taught you?" The question caught Ailith off guard which resulted in her chocking. Coughing loudly, Ailith swallowed down the meat and sighed heavily. She glared over at the knight who had a concerned look on his face. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes. I'm fine." She started, rubbing the tears from her eyes. "Father started teaching me first, just with a wooden sword or pulling back a bow. But, when father passed away and the tribe was attacked by the Romans, some of the men from other tribes decided to teach me more, always in secret though. When the Romans slept. Some of the other servants would help us set archery targets and quickly put them back." She smiled faintly, remembering when she had lost her balance and almost hit one of her fellow Sarmatians. Then her smile turned down. "When they found out about it they forced us to fight others. Many of my friends died like that. After the fifth death I stopped, only practicing on the road and instead I took up Healing with Tate. Do you remember him?" Ailith truly wasn't sure what had gone through her head at that moment. She had just opened up to the man who took over her kind brother. But when she looked over at the knight she saw that part of her brother again. In his dark eyes she could see the pain it caused him to hear about her past. About what had happened all those years ago.

Ailith stood up, grabbing her plate and gave her brother a faint smile. She could tell he hadn't heard her last question, he was reliving memories of his time as a child. She patted his shoulder and smiled a little more, catching her brother's eye. "It's alright you know. There was nothing you could do. Now or then." She squeezed his shoulder once before heading back into the kitchen. She dumped the rest of her meal into the cook's dogs bowl and handed the tableware to the washer. "Bega, time to go back now. We both have to be well rested for tomorrow." The young girl yawned from her place at the counter and walked over to Ailith.

"I saw you talking to Lancelot. What did you say?" Bega asked, rubbing her eyes as the two walked from the tavern.

"I told him about how I was learning Healing and he asked about my training with weapons. He asked who taught me, and I told him a bit of our story."

"You know, you'll have to tell him all of it sooner or later. Maybe then you can get over the thought of a younger Lancelot." Bega replied with a stern stare to the older sister. Ailith laughed softly and began to climb the stairs of the knights building. It was practically the knights own living quarters since no one else other than the two of them used it. They made their way to the end of the hall and separated at the last two doors.

"Good night, Bega." Ailith said quietly, not sure if any of the knights were back yet. The younger of the two nodded and went into her room. Once Ailith was inside she quickly started a fire, increasing the temperature dramatically. She smiled in content before striping off her dress and covering herself with her nightgown. Maybe talking with Lancelot wasn't wouldn't be as bad as she thought. And with that last thought she threw herself at her bed and drifted off into the dream realm.

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><p><strong>All characters that are not originally from my brain are the creation of the makers of King Arthur :)<strong>

**Note: Thank you guys sooooo much for your reviews! You have no idea how much they inspired me to finish this chapter. I really hope I continue to get your support and honest opinions.**


	5. Chapter Four

A week or so passed after Ailith had opened up to her brother a bit that night. It was almost as if she couldn't help herself. It just seemed normal even with the large gap between them. But the dark haired woman hadn't quite been able to talk to her brother again. Or any of the knights for that matter. They had left half way through the last week on a mission and hadn't made it back yet. It slightly worried both Ailith and Bega who, without realizing it, spent the exact same amount of time watching the gates of Hadrian's Wall, watching to see the group of knights to come riding through every day. Most of the time the two sisters would help out Vanora at the tavern after finishing their lessons for the day. But lessons on the sixth day of that week were different.

"Ailith, there is nothing more I can go over with you." Tate said with a large smile, the corners of his eyes wrinkling in a pleasant way. The woman stared at her mentor hard, looking for anything to tell her that he was joking. She shook her head with a very tiny smile.

"You're joking." Ailith paused, seeing Tate's expression turn into a serious one. She shook her head again and frowned. "That can't be. There has to be something else you can teach me or go over again."

"Ailith, what is that you're afraid of? You have a natural talent for healing, almost as if the Goddess was guiding each of your steps." She couldn't see how this man who knew her so well didn't know the answer to his own question. She afraid for that very reason. It was common knowledge that every Healer in their tribe had been blessed by the Goddess's hand and what if this was it? What if her blessing was to be forever guided? Never taking her own course of action and simply following the lines put out for her. And it wasn't like she could go back to her weapons.

Seeing the slightly irritated expression on the woman's face Tate smiled gently. He stood from his table in the back room and rested his hand on his student's shoulder, careful not to touch her back. He knew from past experiences that the marked skin on this woman's back was a very sensitive thing. She didn't let anyone touch her back. Not even Bega. He squeezed Ailith's shoulder, kneeling beside her.

"Child, you do not have to worry about that. The Goddess is a kind spirit, she knows her children well. You've never been led to this life; every step you've taken has been your own. I remember when we had first been taken you were such a tiny thing. You never spoke to any of the other tribes and obediently listened to the slave driver. Now look at you, you have the skills of a true warrior on the battle field. So much in fact that you were given the nickname of Wolf." Inwardly Ailith winced at the mention of that terrible name. "And you have the passionate heart of a Healer. But you still cling to memories of the past. That is the only thing keeping you back other than this fear." The old man stood and moved over to the shelf on the other side of the room, plucking a white flower from the stems and leaves organized neatly in each square shelf. He turned back and threaded the flower into her dark hair.

When the man pulled back Ailith had caught a glimpse at the faded markings on Tate's wrist, a marking that was placed on every Healer by the Goddess. After her test, she would be marked as well. After a few minutes of silence Ailith finally stood and went to the window. "When will my final test be?" It would be the test that told them what she was suited for. Tate smiled before motioning to the door.

"You're test will be to tend to the knights when they return from this mission."

The next night found Ailith waking in the middle of the night, woken by a very realistic nightmare. She stepped out of her room, wrapping her shawl around her shoulders, shivering at the cold air. When she let out a breath she could see the hot air making a small cloud in front of her. Grey eyes peered over the railing, seeing only dark homes and shops before they turned to the wall. Half a dozen Roman guards lingered at the entrance and on top of the wall. The lights from their torches were the only thing lighting the entrance to Castellum. Sighing Ailith turned back to her room only to jump at the sudden yell from the entrance.

"The knights are coming!" The guards from atop the wall called down to the guards below them. Ailith's eyes widened before going back into her room and quickly changing into the dark green dress she had worn her first day. Compared to then she had filled out the dress much better. Having more curves then when she had arrived. She walked back out quickly, braiding her hair back as she went. When she finally reached the entrance the knights were slowly dismounting from their noble stallions. She noted that all of them looked weary and tired but not to beat up. Except for her brother and the unfamiliar knight, Tristan. From her place away from the knights she could see a large slash across Lancelot's leg, making it difficult for him to get off Aelred and a small cut was easily seen above his right eyebrow. Tristan was even worse. Both his arms were cut up, both probably needing stiches, the shirt he was wearing seemed to be dried with blood around a slash in the fabric. Who knew what other injures the knights had come by.

Ailith quickly went to Arthur, watching patiently as the commander dismounted and turned to face her. "Once you're settled have any injured come to my room." She said in a calm voice. Arthur nodded before watching her turn and go back up to her room.

As quickly as she could Ailith set up a clean area at her table. The fire was going, lighting the room brightly and candles were lit on the table and on the window ledge. She had a pot of water boiling over the fire and bowl of fresh water sitting on the table beside her. She took the water out of the hearth and checked over the items on the table. She had three needles set out along with threads and a small knife. Beside those were the healing salves she, Sigga and Tate had made a while back. She nodded before going to the door and peeking out. Coming down the hall were four of the knights. Tristan, Lancelot, Bors and Galahad. Ailith nodded before going out to greet them.

"Who has the worse injuries?" Her voice seemed to snap some of them out of their tired daze and she waited patiently for them to reply.

"That would have to be Tristan." Lancelot said in a drained voice, nodding his head in the direction of the scout. Ailith nodded before assessing the stoic knight once more and moving back into her room. The knights followed close behind, Lancelot and Galahad sitting on her bed and Bors leaning up against the far wall. Ailith pulled out a chair for Tristan to sit before running her hand over the knight's arm gently.

"Do you mind taking off your shirt?" She asked in the silence, eyes fixed on the steadily flowing blood coming from one of the wounds on his arm. Without hesitation Tristan began to do as she said only to wince and drop his arms back down. With a soft sigh the woman undid the belt keeping his shirts down and started to tug off the fabrics. He wore two soft shirts, both heavy with blood. Once that was done with Ailith took a clean rag from the chair she would use and dipped it into the clean water. She dabbed at the cut on the knights chest, finding with relief that that cut wouldn't need to be stitched. It was a fairly shallow wound. But when she cleaned off his upper arms she found at least three cuts that would need stiches. So she set to that.

"I'm sorry that this is our first meeting." The woman said quietly, not taking her eyes off the needle that she was holding over a lit candle. The quiet knight simply shrugged, wincing slightly at the pain the cuts had made. Chuckling quietly she removed the needle, carefully looking it over before sliding a thread into the end. Starting to hum tunelessly she began, quickly pressing the sharp point under Tristan's skin and out the other side, making a neat and tidy line over the cut, closing it together. During the action the knight in front of her had kept his eyes on door across from him, not making a sound at any point. Ailith moved on to the next injury, trying to be quick and then moved to the last. Tying and cutting the thread on the last cut the dark haired woman looked over her work. The stitches would stay as long as the man didn't do any more than necessary. Lastly she ran another clean rag, dipped in the hot water over the stitches, cleaning any blood residue away.

"Any other injuries?" She asked, receiving a simple no before Tristan stood and left. Before he could leave the room Ailith grabbed his hand, the knight tensing immediately. "Do not do any unnecessary activity until I've come to check on you again." He nodded, waiting for the woman to release him. And once she had he quickly left the room which one look back at the others. It was quite odd to see a knight so different from the others. From her brief time with his comrade she knew that most were fairly open and seemed to love socializing. But this one was much different. Ailith turned to Lancelot and gestured to the chair. Her brother limped over and nearly collapsed into it. The woman kneeled and began work on the slash that would definitely need stitches.

The others didn't take nearly as long as Tristan or Lancelot. Galahad simply had bruised ribs that needed inspecting and Bors had some nasty, but not deep wounds on his back. By the time she had finally sent out the last of them she was about ready to collapse into her bed. But when she turned a sudden dizziness swept through her. Ailith quickly grabbed the back of a chair, steadying herself. She could feel a dull stinging on her shoulders and arms, even a tingle over her cheeks. The dizzy spell wore off, allowing Ailith to straighten as much as she dared before closing her door and stripping from her dress. And just like on Tate, dark designs had been imprinted into her skin. Two crescent moons decorated her wrists, the opening facing up into her palm, the dark lines circling the veins there. Then at her shoulders were similar markings only larger and the skin seemed to be raised, like a burn. Three lines fell from the opening of the crescent moons, going down the upper parts of her arms. There was probably some sort of marking on her face as well, making her a little nervous.

"That wasn't a very difficult test." She whispered to herself, dressing once again in her nightgown, unbraiding her hair and slumping onto her bed. She wasn't going to wake up for quite some time. But before she let her eyes close for the night she lifted her hand and took one more look at the crescent moon again her skin. It was darker then Tate's markings but didn't look as out of place as Tristan's tattoos. And it left like the skin had risen slightly as well. With a quiet whisper the woman turned in her bed, back against the fire before closing her eyes. "Goddess, if this is the life meant for me, please let my follow my own path."

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><p>The dark haired woman didn't wake until midday, groaning loudly as she sat up. She felt sore and her back ached. The fire in the hearth had diminished into dull grey coals, making the room colder then she had expected. Shuttering she stepped down from the bed and quickly changed before bushing her hair and leaving the room. Immediately upon leaving the room Ailith was met with a face full of sunlight. It warmed her instantly, and the woman allowed herself to stretch her arms up, standing on her toes in her boots.<p>

"You seemed to have gotten a good sleep." A voice said from behind her, startling Ailith enough to make her jump. After turning quickly she found Gawain standing there with a laughing expression.

"Was that really necessary? My heart almost stopped!" She frowned; the knights seemed to have that effect on her. First Galahad now Gawain.

"Oh just wait until you're around Tristan more, you'll have to be on your toes all the time. That man is like a ghost." He smiled before shaking his head and slinging his arm over her shoulder. Guess she shouldn't tell him how quiet she and the others were. "Come let's go get some food. All the others are still asleep and I'm bored." Ailith rolled her eyes and slightly leaned into the knight. She really didn't feel the distaste that she felt when around people she didn't know. She really didn't feel it with any of the knights even if she made it seem so.

"So, what happened on your mission? I ended up stitching up Lancelot and Tristan and having to check on Galahad and Bors." The two of them walked in silence for a moment, before Gawain decided to answer.

"We got ambushed right before making it out of the forest." He jerked his head in the direction of the large expanse of trees on the other side of Hadrian's Wall. "It was a large group of Woads and they caught us by surprise. We're actually lucky that those were the worst injuries." They made it down the stairs, separating so they didn't fall as they made their way down. Ailith nodded, thinking back to the wounds the men had gotten. None of them were life threatening and she had been able to stitch them back up easily. "But what's up with you? What's with the dots on your face?"

The woman frowned at the knight who simply laughed and lifted his hand. His fingers brushed from her forehead, around her left eye and trailed down to her cheek. "There are little dark dots on your face." He explained, dropping his hand again to his side. Blinking in realization, Ailith smiled and threaded her fingers together behind her back.

"It's nothing really. I just got my Healer marks." But of course, she didn't expect him to know what they were but now that she had gotten some sleep she felt proud that she carried the Goddess's mark. Yet she was still nervous about what that life would mean. She looked up at Gawain and smiled innocently, noting his frown. "It's something that happens to every healer that's ever served the Goddess. When she feels that you are ready to be called a full-fledged healer she marks us, showing that we have been blessed and act in the good will of our deity." A look of wonder passed the man's face and Ailith laughed. "Gawain, you are amused by very small things." She stated, bumping her shoulder into his arm.

"Hey!" With one more chuckle the woman picked up speed and quickly raced to the tavern before the Sarmatian knight could catch up.

Ailith spent most of her day with the fair haired knight, talking and laughing about the smallest things. They talked about their childhoods, or what they could remember, missions that the knights had gone on, and some embarrassing moments. But as it got later more knights filled the tavern. Seeing her dark haired brother and Galahad walking over to them and Dagonet making his way to the bar, Ailith stood and sent a fleeting smile to Gawain.

"Why not stay a bit more, Ailith?" He asked with a confused look on his face. She shook her head, dark hair flying about. The knight frowned and stood up, staring hard at his newest friend. "You know they'll realize that you're avoiding them and they'll probably never leave you be." Chuckling softly the woman shrugged and quickly fled the open area of the tavern. Instead of the graceful exit that she had planned she ended up face first in someone's chest.

"Oh, sorry about that!" She quickly said, looking up to see who she had just walked into. They had their hands on her shoulders, steadying her in case she fell back. Grey eyes met a pair of dark eyes, only slightly hidden by hair. "Sorry Tristan." She mumbled, feeling heat rise in her cheeks. She lowered her head and quickly pulled away from the man, walking away as quickly as she could. When she looked up again Ailith found herself at the stables. She went to Aelred, rubbing the horse's nose with soothing strokes. "Did you miss me, friend?" She quietly whispered, leaning over the gate to pat the horse's long neck. The stallion snorted and nudged her shoulder. "It's not like me to open up so easily." She murmured, opening the gate and running her hand over the horse's side. "It feels wrong in a way to open up to the knights so easily. I've never felt like I could." She whispered, resting her forehead on the creatures shoulder. Aelred stilled, leaning slightly into his master's sister. The woman laughed half-heartedly and patted Aelred's neck again before leaving the stall and going to the one beside his. She had fascination with the dapple grey horse and tended to him just as she did with Aelred.

"Hello, Cadmon. Hope you haven't been bullying the others again." Ailith said with a chuckle, picking up his brush and going into the stall. She peeked at the door, seeing that it was getting dimmer now. After tending to Cadmon she'd go and tell Tate her news and he'd probably insist on going to see Arthur. So Ailith brushed the dapple horse until his coat shone before moving to leave the stall.

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><p>"You've got your markings!" Dax said with a friendly smile as he crushed Ailith in a hug. She had found the small group of Sarmatians at the tavern, talking with Vanora and each other. But only a few tables away were the knights, so she nearly had to creep through the shadows cast by the torches around the bar and kitchen. When she reached the bench that her family was sitting at she finally sighed in relief.<p>

"How'd you get them?" Eadric demanded with a grin set on his features. A chuckle escaped Ailith and she shrugged.

"Apparently I'm ready to be a Healer." She spoke quickly, eyes looking about the tavern.

"No you daft girl! We wanted to know how it happened." Sigga laughed, her eyes crinkling. Ailith smiled and shrugged once again.

"The knights came back early and I just happen to be awake at the time. So I fixed up the worst of them and when they left I got these." She wasn't planning on explaining the dizzy spell that almost knocked her on her rear but she still laughed when Bega hugged her. "Guess I'm really not your student any more, Tate."

"Aye, but I still plan to watch over you for now." The old man replied with a sip from his mug. When he placed it back down Tate stood and gave her a meaningful look. "Come on child, we might as well inform Arthur now." With a sigh Ailith stood, detaching her younger sister and following her former mentor past the knights. Most were eating but looked up sharply when the two Healers passed by, catching a glimpse of the dots Gawain had told her about.

"Hey Ailith, what's up with the face paint?" Bors called to her back, receiving a stern glare from his lover. Ailith turned with her customary small smile before shrugging and following Tate again.

"What was that about?" Galahad asked staring at the young woman's back as she and an unnamed man left.

"Ah, don't worry about Ailith. She's got a bit on her mind." Gawain spoke calmly, taking another gulp of ale before grinning over at Lancelot. "By the way congratulations on a very accomplished sister."

"Pardon?" Lancelot gave his fellow knight an odd stare which Gawain laughed at. "She's now an official Healer, marked by our Goddess." Gawain said before turning to start a conversation with Bors. Lancelot frowned and looked back to where his sister had disappeared to.

"He's right, and I can tell that she's still worrying about it too." A new, younger voice said from behind him. Lancelot jumped quite high before turning with a glare to his younger sister who simply grinned innocently. "Sorry." She laughed, leaning on her brother's back. The knight sighed and shook his head.

"You and Tristan. How do you sneak up so easily?" Bega shrugged and wrapped her arms around Lancelot's neck from behind. "Wait, what do you mean she's worried?" Bega chuckled and shook her head.

"Ailith has always worried that her path wasn't that of a Healers. She had an amazing skill with weapons but a natural gift for healing. It took a very horrible event for her to choose healing over fighting." Bega pushed away from Lancelot and patted the man's back. "But don't tell her that I mentioned anything. She'd skin me."

"You have finished you test?" Arthur asked with mild surprise. He was probably thinking that it would take much longer for Ailith to go over all they had gone over for the past four years. Ailith nodded absent mindedly while fiddling with the hem of her sleeve.

"Yes she has. And I believe that she is ready for the job you offered." Tate answered for the young woman, sending her a stern glare before turning back to the Roman officer. "If you are still offering." Arthur shook his head and held a hand out to Ailith.

"It's good to know that my knights will be under the care of another Sarmatian. I won't have to worry about them striking out at the regular Healer." An image of Bors punching a Roman Healer in the face brought a slightly smile to Ailith's mouth before she shook the commander's hand and nodded to him. "I really hope that you will start to feel more comfortable here, Ailith. And perhaps you could show me you fighting skills before out next mission?" A look of surprise crossed Ailith's face turning into a solemn expression.

"Of course. But I must ask you to postpone any missions until Lancelot's leg and Tristan's arms have healed fully. And may I ask when I will be showing my skills?" Momentary silences went through the room before Arthur nodded. Neither man seemed to notice the slight hesitation in Ailith's words. Or the she immediately regretted agreeing.

"Yes, it would be best to wait until my knights are back to full health. You should probably meet me and the knights at the training area behind the stables. I'll watch your skills then."

"Thank you, sir." Tate bowed his head before grabbing Ailith's hand and leading her out of the fortress. Outside the dark haired woman let out a soft hiss.

"Tate, I can't do this! He wants me to fight!" She sucked in a large amount of air, leaning up against the cool stone wall behind her. "I can't show them that side of me." A kind look filled Tate's face as he cupped his former students face with his hands. His eyes traced the odd spots dancing across her temple before he looked her in the eye.

"Ailith, these men have been fighting here for thirteen years. I'm sure that no amount of shock will lessen their view of you. You must also remember Lancelot is you kin. You two share the same blood and in the knights eyes they are all kin even if they don't share blood. Those men will see you as one of their own soon enough and when you see it as well you will be able to leave behind that lonely look I see in your eyes." Tate patted her cheek once before turning and walking back to the tavern.

Slowly Ailith's body slid down the wall, the rough stone rubbing against her painfully. She didn't want to believe the words left behind by her friend. If they saw the thing sleeping inside of her they wouldn't even bother with her. She'd loose the small friendship she had gained with Gawain and she'd soon see the disgusted look in Lancelot's eyes. Shaking her head Ailith shakily stood up and made her way back to her room.

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><p><strong>All King Arthur characters belong to the makers of the King Arthur movie, not me. But I will take credit for my original characters :)<strong>

**Thanks again all my lovely reviewers!**


	6. Chapter Five

The morning of the training session had Ailith on her toes. In her mind she kept imagining how the day would play out. How her failure to keep a secret would cost her greatly after the day was out. But she still went through her routines, bathing and rubbing lovely smelling oils into her skin and hair before dressing in slacks and a loose shirt. Her leather boots fit snugly and she braided her to long dark hair. She left the bathing room and made her way to the tavern, immediately finding Bega helping out Vanora. The red haired woman and Ailith had grown close in the weeks the Sarmatian had been in Castellum. She didn't feel the need to hide things from the older woman. That and it was nearly impossible to get on Vanora's bad side. It was like the woman saw what she was thinking and was quickly able to shut the dark haired woman up.

"Ailith! How'd you sleep?" Bega asked, skipping over to her sister. Ailith gave the girl a tight smile, patting her shoulder before sitting at her normal table beside the kitchen. "Oh yeah, Tate told me about what happened." The girl gave her sister a tight hug before going to the kitchens. No doubted to get Vanora to come talk some sense into her. And just as Ailith predicted the red haired mother of nine came out with a frown across her face.

"Morning Vanora." Ailith gave her a tired smile before watching her put a bowl of porridge in front of her. "Thank you."

"You're being' oddly polite today, Ailith." Vanora said her frown deepening as she watched the younger woman eat slowly, a faraway look in her eyes. Swallowing Ailith nodded before stirring the food in her bowl.

"My sister is always polite when she's nervous." Bega said with a slightly smile, one she had learned to use from her sister. Vanora moved her hands to her hips and stared down at Ailith. "And what do you have to be nervous of, hm?" Ailith shrugged, spooning another bit of porridge into her mouth.

"She's going to train with the knights today." Ailith's eyes narrowed on her sister spinning her food once more. Vanora raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

"Nothing' to worry about, dear. The men will go easy on you since you're a woman." Both Bega and Ailith laughed, only the latter was a hard, cold laugh. Vanora gave both an odd look before shaking her head. "Now what?"

"If they go easy on Ailith they'll be dead." Bega said with a slight smirk that looked oddly like the one Lancelot used. "She's not called the Wolf for nothing." And with that the younger girl disappeared back into the kitchen.

"What's this about a wolf?" The mother asked while beginning to wash the table beside Ailith's with the rag that she had stashed in a pocket.

"Nothing more than a Roman's pet name for me." The younger woman spat, glaring down at her meal. The red head gave her friend a mildly amused look before standing and taking Ailith's bowl.

"If you're not going to eat then just go calm down in the stables." The woman advised, moving away with the food. Ailith shook her head with a bitter smile. Not even time in the stables would fix her mood.

An hour later Ailith found herself sitting on a hill outside Castellum. The town had started to wake and Ailith didn't want to be in the loud place. And just as she thought, the stables hadn't helped lift her mood at all. If anything it worsened. Jols was in the stables, working on organizing some gear. She started her routine brushing of Aelred and Cadmon but the small man had seen her and decided to strike up a conversation about the upcoming training and how eager he was to see her in motion. After taking a few minutes of the man's chatter the woman's patients snapped and she had chucked the brush at him. After a quick apology she left the stables and left the town.

Now, with a cool breeze on her face and the scent of the valley she felt as calm as she could be. If she closed her eyes and blocked out the sounds of shepherds herding their sheep she could imagine being back in Sarmatia. The blue skies, untouched grassland, and wind that carried the scent of her tribe. The woman opened her eyes slowly, looking up at the sky with noticeably calmer eyes. Nothing about Britain reminded her of home. The air was colder, the sky darker, the scents of trees instead of grass and tame animals instead of the wild things that Ailith had loved. She sighed heavily, laying back to stare at the sky, letting the blades of grass tickle her skin. Up in the sky was a familiar bird of prey, brown feather gliding easily in the open sky. It was the same hawk that Ailith had seen her first day here. That hawk marked the end of her enslavement in a way. So lazily she smiled, hearing the soft screech from way above. After that she heard a few steps behind her, coming up the hill slowly and silently. Whoever it was probably hadn't seen the woman stretched out there, staring at the sky. But she was proven wrong went a face peered down at her, familiar dark eyes hidden behind dark tresses.

"Hello Tristan." Ailith said softly, closing her eyes and breathing out slowly.

"Arthur said that you'd be joining us for training today." Came the simple and quiet reply. Ailith frowned, listening to the scout take a seat beside her. "Are you planning on skipping out?" He asked, surprising her slightly. Tristan didn't seem to be one to say more than a few words at a time.

"I want to but really can't, can I." It wasn't really a question, just a statement.

"No." A smirk lit the woman's face. She really hadn't been expecting him to answer with anything else.

"Is there any other reason you're here?" She sat up, brushing the grass from her shoulders. Suddenly a hand brushed over her back, making the woman freeze instantly. In less than a second she was standing farther away from the knight, shivers racing through the woman as she tried to calm herself. Quickly as she could, Ailith turned and fled from the hill, nearly running back to the village. And behind her stood a scout with a strange expression on his face, wondering what he had done to make the girl move so fast away from him.

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><p>By midday Ailith had calmed, eaten more than her breakfast and had gotten ready for training with the knights. When Bega had seen her, the girl instantly pointed out how pale Ailith was, but after shooting Bega a silent plead to keep silent the younger sister spoke nothing more of it. And that was perfectly fine for Ailith. But now, she was waiting in the training ring, a sword in her hands and a solemn expression on her face. She knew she was early, so she sat down against the fence surrounding the training area.<p>

"Hey there Ailith." Gawain said, coming up to the woman. He crouched down to her level and smiled at her. Ailith rolled her eyes and slowly stood up and leaned against the fence.

"Hi Gawain." He laughed and slung his arm over her shoulder. It seemed that this was his way to show his friendship.

"Are you excited for a bit of training? From what I hear you haven't found with a sword in four years." Ailith's grey eyes darkened as she stared at her friend with narrowed eyes.

"Bega right?" The knight shook his head with a slight grin.

"Nope, your friends Eadric and Dax. They were talking about you and so I joined their conversation." Relaxing slightly the woman rolled her eyes and leaned into the man a little. She might as well enjoy the closeness now while it lasted. Gawain seemed to sense her thoughts and gently nudged her. "What's up?" Ailith just sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"The sky." She muttered, gaining a laugh from the knight. A few moments later Bors and Dagonet came in chuckling on Dagonet's side and gut busting laughter for Bors.

"What?" Gawain asked, watching his comrades from the fence. He didn't more from his position, feeling that the woman resting on his shoulder needed it.

"Lancelot just got shot down. Rather harshly too." Bors replied, calming his laughter and walking over to the two. "You okay, girl?" Ailith rolled her eyes and picked her head up a bit.

"I'm not girl, I'm Ailith." She grumbled, staring with dark eyes at the man. He chuckled nervously before nodding.

"Ailith's a little cranky right now." Gawain said a smile clear in his voice. Said woman elbowed him in the side, a glare set on his shoes.

"Ow!" Bors laughed heartily again, adjusting the leather stapes across his chest.

"Who's all joining us?" Ailith asked Dagonet, seeing as he was probably the most normal of the three knights with her. The giant man smiled at her and stood on her other side. She straightened out, shrugging off Gawain's arm.

"Normally everyone comes even if it's just to watch. But most of the time each person fights at least once." She nodded, thinking of Gawain, Lancelot and for some reason the stoic Tristan. She would show her back even less to him. "Is there something wrong?" Dagonet asked, noting the calculating look in her eyes.

"Trying to find ways to defeat you all." She said, her eyes tracing the training area then looking back at the three knights, carefully thinking about how much each would probably weigh and their fighting style. She had never seen any in battle so that was a disadvantage. But on an up note, none of them even knew how knowledgeable she was about the art of war.

"Have fun with that." Gawain said lightly from her other side, a smile on his lips. "You'll probably only defeat one of us at the most." He said honestly. Ailith shook her head and smirked at Gawain.

"You'll see Gawain." She murmured, moving away from the group and off to the other side of the field. There she unsheathed her blade and held it a moment. It was slightly heavier then she was used to so she went to Jols and asked for a lighter sword. The short man, still unnerved by her previous display of irritation quickly dashed back into the stable. He came back with a sword that looked nearly the same. Ailith nodded and took the sheathed blade. The woman went back to spot, only to look across and find that most of the men were there now. Save only Tristan, Erec and Arthur.

Ailith unsheathed the sword once again, testing the weight with a slight tilt of her mouth. It was the perfect weight for her and that meant the knights were in for trouble. She tested the blades edge finding it dull. Good, she wouldn't cause unnecessary damage to anyone.

"Ah, there they are." Galahad called, waving to the last three knights. Immediately Arthur joined the group along with Erec, only Tristan seemed to notice Ailith standing farther away from the knights.

"Alright, warm up first. Who wants to go?" Immediately Gawain raised his hand with a grin. "And who will be your opponent?" Already Ailith and Dagonet knew who would be picked.

"Ailith." Arthur nodded and stepped back to the fence. With another nod the mock battle began. Gawain grabbed the dagger and axe at his feet before running after the only female in the ring. Ailith felt the familiar feeling of indifference slip over her as she readily moved to the side, avoiding the dull axe as it came down.

"She's light on her feet." Percival noted to the others as they watched as their comrade tried over and over again to get a hit on the dark haired woman. Suddenly her stance changed and her sword crashed down onto Gawain's dagger. The woman stepped back, dust coming up with her swift movements. And as she turned the flat side of her blade knocked against the fair haired knight's arm. Gawain growled, moving a bit faster now that he realized that he couldn't simple play with her.

"She's not even using her full speed." Dagonet murmured to himself, watching as the woman danced circles around his fellow knight. "And she's got the upper hand." He stated, watching her face.

"What do you mean?" Galahad asked, watching the fight with curious eyes.

"She's not showing anything. She hasn't even laughed at Gawain." The others looked at the woman with slightly awed eyes. Ailith backed up for a second before Gawain charged at her again. She quickly moved, using one foot to drag herself just a bit out of the way while her other foot stayed in place. To say the least, Gawain had a very unpleasant fall. And when he looked back up the tip of Ailith's sword was pointed at his neck. An eruption of laughter followed from the other knights as Ailith backed up slowly, her hollow eyes filing back quickly as Gawain stared at her from the ground.

"Okay, so you might not have much difficulty at all with us." He uttered under his breath so only Ailith could hear. She smiled tightly, sheathing her sword and helping up the man. "Good job." He clapped the girl on the shoulder before moving back to the others while she went to her side.

"I'll go next Arthur." Dagonet stated as he and Bors stood and moved to the center of the ring. Arthur nodded and the fight began. Ailith sat slowly, watching the battle carefully. Bors seemed to throw his weight around more than Dagonet. The giant knight took his time and observed his surroundings before attacking. They clashed blades a few times before both seemed to rush at each other, weapons at the ready. Ailith watched silently, her hand griping around her sword absentmindedly.

"Go Dagonet!" Cheered the others, grinning as they watched their friends. Ailith gave a slightly smile before blocking the others out and focusing on the battle. Bors had the upper hand at the moment, his hand blades giving his the ability to block Dagonet's sword and attack at the same time. But the taller man was smart, when Bors blocked next he kicked out his foot and the smaller man toppled over. The knights cheered, laughing and giving Bors a hard time for losing such a way.

"Next?" Arthur called while smiling and chuckling at something one of the knights said. Ailith tensed when she saw who raised their hand next. A certain dark haired scout with tattoos. Arthur nodded before looking expectantly at the other knights. None stepped forward, watching Tristan as he moved into the center. He turned his head slightly and stared hard at Ailith.

_No way. Not a chance! My style completely shows my back during turns and I can't let this man see it ever again_, she inwardly argued. But when Lancelot smirked over at her the irritation for the man she called brother flared up.

"Aw, my baby sister isn't afraid is she?" Ailith glared at the knight, watching his laugh and shake his head. The dark haired woman stood and unsheathed her sword.

"I wonder why Tristan wants to fight her." Erec said quietly to Percival who shrugged, eyes glued in front of him. Ailith swung her sword down once before stepping in front of the scout. He was taller than her by a good four inches. Her head only coming to his lips and he looked light, so he probably moved fast. Arthur nodded once and watched Tristan slowly unsheathe the long sword at his waist.

"Tristan will get her." Gawain murmured quietly to Galahad.

"Betcha Ailith will either draw or win." Gawain raised an eyebrow at his younger friend. "She defeated you in a few minutes. I wonder where she learned to fight like that." Ailith took a slow, long breath and let herself calm fully, her eyes taking on a hollow property once again. The women raised her sword and to quickly strike out at the knight. Tristan stepped out of the way at the last second before meeting her blade as she brought it down at his feet. They switched from offence to defence, Tristan lunging at her, his movements graceful and well thought out while Ailith blocked and moved according to his own. Then they switched once again.

"Does anyone else see a dance here?" Percival asked, watching the two's feet as they twirled and twisted around each other. Never once did their feet touch though.

"Yeah but Ailith doesn't seem to know all the steps. She's never not facing him." Lancelot spoke softly but the others heard it. Tristan seemed to notice this too, even trying to get behind her at one point, only to have her almost hit his arm. So he improvised. He forced his blade down on her, Ailith easily catching the metal with her own. The only thing she hadn't seemed to put into her mind was how strong Tristan really was. He pressed down on his sword, forcing Ailith to bend at her knees. She refused to let this scout win. But, luck wasn't on her side. She fell softly onto her back, her sword and Tristan's still locked. He noticed frustration slowly seem into her grey orbs and when the corners of his mouth lifted a little he saw the frustration turn into anger.

"Finally got a reaction, huh?" He whispered before stepping away and walking back to the others. Ailith lay on the ground, dirty and angry at herself for letting Tristan win.

"It won't happen again." She promised herself quietly, moving into a sitting position. A hand was in front of her and when she looked up she found Dagonet's small smile. A confused look crossed her face. Oh, guess she had been a tame wolf this time. Shaking off the thought, she took his hand and let the knight help her up.

"Wow! That was intense!" Galahad said staring in amazement at the woman as she and Dagonet walked back. Ailith smiled slightly. Maybe they didn't think bad of her. But oh well, she'd think about it later. Ailith turned to Arthur and when he nodded she passed her sword to Jols before leaving the training ring.

* * *

><p>"How'd it go?" Dax asked from beside Ailith at the table. They were in the crowed tavern eating dinner before they'd go separate ways. Ailith shrugged and gave the man a meaningful look. She had come to see the man after changing from her training clothes and back into a dress.<p>

"It didn't end up nearly as bad as it could of. I tried to keep it down a notch." She forked some food into her mouth before swallowing and muttering to herself. "Of a few notches." Dax laughed, shaking his head at the young woman.

"And you got beat too I hear." Ailith glared over at the man, but his grin didn't falter. "Yeah, Bors told me about it. He also said that you and Tristan should dance at one of the festivals some time." This nearly made her choke on her food. Ailith stared at the man with a red face while he laughed like a mad man. He was clutching his sides because he was laughing so hard.

"I hope you fall off that stupid chair." Ailith grumbled. She finished her meal and left the tavern, waving over to Vanora before starting to wonder. The knights hadn't seen her at her top and she was more than likely out of practice. But she had proven that she could fight without hurting anyone. On an actual battle field she wouldn't need to keep that in mind. She'd fully be able to let out all her frustration and anger out on her enemies. With a slight grin she left the village once again, making her way to Hadrian's Wall. She leant against it, closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths. The sun was slowly setting across from her, casting the small valley into an orange glow. It was quieter now than it had been in the early morning. No shepherds were outside, their flocks safely stowed away into their pens. Ailith opened her eyes and sighed. She felt an extreme need to go back to the hill for some reason. It was like a tugging on her mind that she couldn't ignore.

She followed the tug, walking as quietly as she could up the grassy hill just a bit away from the village. And just as she thought, someone was there. It was obvious who it was, even if his back was to her. But the braids gave it away Trying to be even quieter than before, the woman snuck up slowly behind the scout, breathing only through her nose. At the last instant the knight turned and gave her a look. Grumbling, the woman sat down a bit away from Tristan, making sure to keep her distance.

"You are a good fighter." The man said in his normal calm voice. Even that voice irked her. Not as much as the neutral yet teasing voice he had used after beating her.

"I guess so." The way that they were facing gave Ailith a perfect view of the sunset and even if the sky was cloudy she could still see it clearly. "This land isn't as wonderful as ours but it has its good points." She said quietly, not even expecting the man beside her to hear.

"In a way, yes." He replied before turning to the woman. "Where did you learn to fight?" Ailith smirked slightly at the odd turn this conversation had taken. Much like her last conversation with her brother. And somehow they ended right back to this question. And once again, Ailith felt no need to hide this part of her life.

"My father started to teach me a while after Lancelot was commissioned. We started with wooden swords and bows first. And I absolutely loved the feeling of letting the string snap back. The bow is my favourite but with a sword you can get closer and more accurate results. When he died and we were taken from our home the men from our slave group decided it would be best to continue with my training. I trained for three years like that, learning from the men. Some were even former knights and taught me a lot. But after an event I refuse to talk about I stopped and started to learn healing instead." Memories of training and laughing with the men of her group made her smile slightly. Those were some of the few good memories she had of the last seven years. Suddenly Tristan stood and nodded.

"Arthur wanted me to tell you that we have a mission tomorrow." He said slowly before turned and starting down the hill. But of course, she couldn't hear his footsteps right now either way so when she felt a slight tug on her hair Ailith turned to find Tristan standing there, a lock of hair that had freed itself from her braid in his fingers. Grey eyes watched the stoic scout carefully, as he twisted the lock into her braid before turning and walking down the hill for real this time. Ailith watched with narrowed eyes on his back.

"That man is strange." She whispered, falling onto her back, her cheeks now slightly pink. "But he is handsome." She muttered, before shaking her head and closing her eyes to enjoy the rest of the sunset.

* * *

><p><strong>All characters that do not belong to me are from the wonderful creators of King Arthur.<strong>

**And thanks to Binne Inksong, BooBoo33, BlackQueen92, Scribbled Truth, ShiloCoulter and LadyQueenB. You guys have given me enough inspiration to get this story as far as I have. Please continue to support this story!**


	7. Chapter Six

The next morning Ailith woke to the sound on banging on her door. She jumped up, forgetting about the cold floors and paused when a chill went up her spine. Shaking off the cold the woman went to her door and quickly opened it, only to find a pair of grinning smiles. In front of her bedroom door was Gawain and Galahad. Ailith groaned and walked back into her room.

"What do you two want?" She asked, flopping back onto her bed. The two knights walked in and quickly gazed around.

"Wow Ailith. I should ask you to organize my room." Galahad joked, raising an eyebrow to the open chest at the end of her bed which was filled with neatly folded bought, borrowed or gifted dresses and nightgowns. Probably a bedroll to. Though it was filled because it wasn't all that big to begin with. Ailith snorted and curled into the center of her bed.

"Yeah right. I wouldn't dare set foot in your room. Who knows when I'd be able to find my way back out." The woman grinned, watching the men with one eye since the other was pressed into the bed. Gawain laughed at the offended look of his friends face before sitting down on Ailith's bed.

"Alright, now that we've teased Galahad you should be ready to face the day. Also we have a mission today." Ailith groaned again before rolling away from the fair haired knight. Galahad laughed softly and suddenly the room went silent. Ailith lifted her head slightly and rolled over only to be suddenly grabbed around the waist and heaved over someone's shoulder.

"I said you have to get out of bed." The woman cried out, squirming around as much as she could. From behind Gawain Ailith watched Galahad laughing while gathering up her stuff. He grabbed the neatly folded clothing from her table, her shoes, a heavy cloak, a leather string and the wooden box of healing necessaries that Ailith had set on the table as well.

"Ailith, you're habit of being organized just came in handy." The younger knight grinned, carrying them all together while following his comrade out the bedroom door and down the hall.

"Don't forget to close the door, Galahad!" Ailith warned, glaring at the messy haired man. He shook his head and closed the door with a soft '_thud'_. They paused at one door, only a few down from Ailith's room before Gawain pounded on his harshly.

"Come on Lancelot, time to get ready!" Ailith rolled her eyes and got comfy on the knights shoulder. She rested her chin in her hand, her elbow digging into Gawain's shoulder blade.

"So Galahad, what's this mission going to be?" The woman asked, tapping her finger against her cheek in time with Gawain's footsteps. She really wasn't all that uncomfortable only being in a nightgown. To her, it was just another set of clothing. Galahad smirked, watching the woman dig her elbow farther into his friends back.

"Ow! Why am I always being attacked by that elbow of yours?" Gawain whimpered, trying to move her so that she couldn't elbow him.

"We're traveling to some Roman Lords home to move them farther South. They have an estate there and plan to stay as far from the Woads as they can." Ailith noted the bitter emotions under Galahad's words. Ailith reached out and patted the young man's head, a sympathetic look in her eyes. But the man suddenly bust out in laughter, holding his gut as she laughed.

"What's this about?" Gawain asked, turning himself and Ailith.

"Don't – Don't do that Ailith!" Galahad gasped, trying not to fall over.

"What did you do?" Gawain asked the woman on his shoulder.

"I patted his head." She replied, a frown on her face. Gawain grinned and shook his head.

"Imagine how that probably looked Ailith." The knight began, understanding why his young friend was laughing so hard. "You're lying over my shoulder while we're walking and you reach out to pat some knight's head." The image flashed in Ailith's mind and she chuckled. "Yeah, it's quite funny. But we have to get to the stables." And with that they were off down the streets.

Once in the stables most of the men either stared in shock or burst into laughter. Gawain set her down in front of the knights with a proud grin while Ailith kicked him in the shin. While the fair haired knight cried out in pain the dark haired woman turned to Galahad who was grinning and took her clothing.

"I'll be changing with Aelred. Anyone looks and I promise to run them down with a horse." The woman said before quickly walking into the dark stallions stall. The gate only came up to her chest but since the stall was at the very end the knights wouldn't be able to see her.

"Woman, do you have no sense of shame?" She heard Bors call over to her. The woman smiled and shook her head.

"I'm used to changing like this. Having my own room is just a very nice perk." Ailith called back, referring back to when she'd have to change with all her countrymen in the same room. The women would hold up a quilt so that the men couldn't watch the older woman change. She heard Bors chuckle before she decided to strip out of her nightgown. She pulled on a pair of breeches before pulling trousers over top. Next came the white shirt with its draw string collar. Ailith slide her feet into her boots, coming out of the stall, patting Aelred as she did. Lancelot looked over at her with a shake of his head.

"Are you not worried at all?" He asked with a serious expression on his face as he came up in front of her. Ailith shook her head and reached up to pat her brother's cheek.

"What do I have to worry about? It will only be a few days and I will have my own sword and bow. The only thing I'm missing is a horse." She spoke the last part louder, catching Arthur's attention at once.

"Ah of course you do. Jols, please find the lady a horse." The small squire nodded before pulling the woman over to a stall at the end. Arthur came up behind them and nodded at Jols choice. "He's a good horse. Before you, his rider was named Kay. He was the last knight to fall." Arthur explained with a downcast expression on his face. Ailith glanced at the Roman commander before facing the stallion. "His name is Ewell." The stable behind Ailith went quiet as she stepped in front of the animal, holding out her hand carefully. The creature was very large, his coat a shining black that made his eyes which were an odd blue colour stand out even more. Even odder, his mane and tail were a white colour.

The woman was suddenly speaking a language that none had heard in a long, long time. In her native tongue the woman pressed her hand to the horse's nose and spoke. "Ewell, a very unique name for a unique spirit." Ewell snorted, rearing his head up before calming when the woman started scratching between his eyes. "Good boy, such a pretty boy." She whispered.

"Ah great, we have another animal speaker." Galahad threw his hands up, shaking his head before moving to his own horse to prepare. Ailith turned to her company and raised an eyebrow. All of them seemed to have shocked faces and when Ailith realized what she had done a blush turned her cheeks pink.

"We haven't heard Sarmatian since, since…" Erec seemed at a loss of words, wide eyes staring at the woman. She chuckled sheepishly and shrugged.

"We used to talk like that whenever we had something to say that we didn't want the Romans to overhear. Escape plans, stealing food, practice, a bunch of things. And it was a way to show affection for others who you were very close to. Bega and I used to speak that way with each other all the time. Dax starts shouting in Sarmatian when he's really angry." The woman shrugged again before turning to Jols.

"Jols, could you bring me a sharpened sword with the same weight as the one I used for training? And a bedroll. I would have gotten my own but I really didn't have the time." The squire, still slightly unnerved around Ailith nodded and went to fetch her things. She turned around, seeing the knights still staring at her save for Galahad, Tristan and Arthur. Galahad had blocked them out the entire time and Arthur wasn't all that surprised in the first place and she really couldn't tell what Tristan was thinking. "Boys! Time to get ready!" She clapped her hands once, making them all jump and move into action. Ailith shook her head and opened the stall of her new steed. Ewell watched the woman casually as she laid a blanket over his back and then a familiar saddle over top. The dark haired woman patted the horse's shoulder before buckling the saddle and then moving to put reins on the horse. Ewell whinnied before bending his head down to her height. Ailith smiled and quickly set the gear onto the creature.

In a few more moments Jols came back with not only a sword but a bow and quiver filled with Roman arrows along with the bedroll she had asked for. With a nod Ailith strapped all of the equipment onto Ewell's saddle. She took the leather reins, opened the stall gate and led the black stallion out into the center area of the stable. Most of the others were also ready as well.

"I warn you now; I haven't ridden a horse in a long time. I might not remember." She admitted to Dagonet who was currently feeding his mare half a carrot. He patted the black horse before looking to the Sarmatian woman. Ailith noted that Dagonet's horse had a star marking on her forehead.

"You won't have to worry about that. Ewell knows what to do. He won't let you fall." Were the gentle warrior's words before he mounted his horse and left the stable. Tristan and Arthur followed behind his slowly, talking in quiet voices. Ailith watched the two leave before mounting her own stallion and pausing, waiting for Gawain to do the same. When he did the two of them followed Gawain's fellow knights, the others close behind.

"Nervous for your first mission?" Ailith rolled her eyes, thinking back to what Lancelot had said. And she gave him the same answer. But instead of the silent reply that her brother gave her, Gawain laughed. "And I thought you'd say something about having eight handsome knights to protect you." Ailith laughed as well, shaking her head.

"Handsome knights would have to be with me in the first place." The woman teased before she caught sight once more of the scout and commander. Tristan was looking over his shoulder at her, nodding at something Arthur was saying. Ailith narrowed her eyes, catching Gawain's attention quickly.

"Ah, they're probably deciding how you'll be of help. You have good fighting skills and if you had actually followed through with your technique you would have been neck and neck with Tristan. So if we get attacked you'll be able to help out. But none of us want you injured so." He cut himself off at the amused look in Ailith's eyes.

"Aw, the big bad knights care for the little Healer?" Gawain chuckled and lightly pushed her, mindful of how unbalanced she was in the saddle.

"Yeah, yeah, we care for the teeny, tiny Healer. Even if she can take care of herself." Ailith smiled softly, thinking back to Tate's words. He was probably right, like always.

* * *

><p>They rod in silence for the most part, each of them in a line, side by side. At the front were Arthur and Lancelot and behind them were Galahad and Gawain. Then Erec and Percival. Next came Bors and Dagonet and finally, drawing up the back was Ailith and Tristan. While the scout sat stiff in his saddle, the woman watched all around her. Since it was late spring the trees that surrounded both sides of the path they were on were fully leafed. Arthur had explained that it would take at least two days to get to the Roman families current estate and a three day trip to the new estate. All together this mission would take at least a week to finish. But that also meant a week of sleeping on the ground again, a week of stale breads and staying close to the knights. Sure she was more comfortable around them now than before. She's openly smile at jokes or join a conversation she was interested in but she still wasn't quite so confident when it came to long days around them. She'd be with at least one knight every hour of the day for seven or eight days. Most of the knights were packed with enough food and water for us to get to the estate.<p>

"It seems so quiet." The woman murmured, her fingers gently running through her horse's mane. She hadn't meant for any of the men to hear, but she could feel Tristan's dark eyes on her.

"Yes, quieter than it should be." Ailith slightly jumped when he spoke, turning her head to look at the scout. And she immediately regretted it. The man's braids were swaying, rubbing against his face every now and then, his dark fringe had been pushed to the one side of his face so that he could see better. At currently, he was seeing a slightly timid Healer doing her best to stay on her horse.

"Well Tristan, if you train her ups some maybe we'll have another scout." Bors said from over his shoulder, glancing at the two before grinning at Ailith. The woman shook her head with a smile.

"Nope, I'm just about positive that I'm not scout material. I'd cause more harm than good." Bors laughing slightly before facing forward again.

"Alright, we should start to move now. Ailith, if you need to stop or ride with one of us say so." Arthur called from the front receiving a nod from everyone in their party. Though, Ailith was most certainly not going to ride with anyone. She'd figure out this riding thing even if it killed her.

They picked up speed, urging their mounts into a gallop. As she bounced in the saddle, Ailith breathed a heavy breath before leaning forward slightly, clinging to Ewell's reins.

"And she's a natural rider!" Bors claimed, looking back at the woman over his shoulder once more. The dark haired woman laughed breezily, a smile lighting her face.

"I've forgotten how good the wind feels." She confessed, relaxing in the saddle and closing her eyes, feeling the large creature move. The horse, sensing his rider's feelings sped up a little more. But she opened her eyes once more, again watching the trail before them. If she could do anything, it would be to help look out for anything.

The sun seemed to take forever to set behind the canopy of trees around them. Ailith breathed a sigh of relief when Arthur announced that they would camp for the night. As she swung herself off Ewell's saddle Ailith realized how stiff the ride had made her legs. With a silent hiss, the woman dropped ungracefully onto her rear, causing most of the men to break out into laughing fits. The only one who seemed to be smart enough to help her up was Lancelot. Though he was still chuckling under his breath. Ailith sighed and let the knight help her to her feet before dusting the dirt off her clothing. She untied the bedroll from behind her horse's saddle along with her weapons and the saddle itself. She tied her horse with the other knight's before moving to the outskirts of the very small clearing they decided to camp in.

The night was cool, already the warmth of the sun gone from the earth. Shivering slightly the woman wrapped her arms around her chest and leaned against a tall oak tree. Above her she could see movement in the trees. And at better inspection she found herself looking at the very same hawk she had been seeing everywhere. Ailith straightened, pressing her back against the rough bark before tilting her head up and making a clicking sound with her mouth. The raptor tilted its head and peered down at the woman, golden eyes piercing and stunning all at the same time. Ailith clicked again, holding her arm out cautiously. And when she thought the bird of prey would actually come to her it simple settled again on a branch closer to her.

"A teaser, hm?" Ailith said with a smile on her lips. The hawk screeched, watching the dark haired woman with slight interest. "You're familiar you know. I've seen you before." Ailith let her arm drop behind her, clenching her hands behind her back while looking up. The creature screeched once more before taking flight.

"Ailith, stop talking to the animals and come join us." One of the knights called from the center of the clearing. The woman looked over and smiled, finding most of the men looking at her. Arthur was attending to his horse and Tristan had gone scouting, looking for any possible dangers. So Ailith moved over to the others, sitting down on the hard ground between Gawain and Lancelot.

"So you still speak fluent Sarmatian, talk to animals; wield swords, anything else we should know?" Galahad asked mirth in her eyes. Ailith laughed and shrugged.

"I can drink a fair bit of ale before feeling the effects and I can sleep just about anywhere. I also can use a bow quite well." Above them the wind whistled loudly, making the fire in the middle of their circle flicker slightly. Bors and Dagonet quickly tossed in handfuls of broken branches, moving back quickly when the rush of heat hit them all. The sounds of fast approaching hooves made a few of them look up. Tristan came back into the clearing, giving a nod to Arthur before dismounting and bringing his horse to the others. Cadmon whinnied is disagreement but was easily soothed by the scout.

"Then maybe you'll join us for some drinks when we get back to the village." Dagonet said, smiling slightly at the woman across the fire from him. Ailith shrugged before quickly snatching some bread from Gawain's hands.

"Hey!" She laughed softly before breaking off half and returning part back to him.

"Alright." Arthur started, joining their circle, sitting down on the other side of Lancelot and Erec. "Bors, Percival and Galahad will take first shift. Then Gawain and Tristan and Dagonet and lastly Lancelot, Erec and I will take the last watch." The knights nodded before pulling their food out from their packs. Lancelot passed a long strip of dried meat to his sister while Gawain passed her his water skin. The woman took both, taking a long drink from the skin before passing it back and started to chew thoughtfully on the meat. It was tough but when you did get a bit from the stripe if filled you. Ailith ripped the stripe in half and passed the unbitten side back to Lancelot. The man looked back at her doubtfully while she simply shrugged.

"I don't eat much." Lancelot gave her a sharp look before sighing and putting the meat back into his bag.

Once her food was gone Ailith and everyone else started setting up their bedrolls. Lancelot had insisted on her setting up close to the fire where they could all watch over her. And truthfully, she didn't mind the extra warmth the fire gave off. Across the flames was where Tristan set up, Gawain to Ailith's right, his blond head already peeking out of his blankets and Dagonet's bedroll was set up to her left. The others were set up around them, Lancelot behind her, Arthur behind Dagonet, Galahad's bedroll behind Gawain and Erec and Percival were farther out, by the horses. Ailith sat still, her shoulders covered by her blanket and cloak, her arms wrapped around her legs. It really was strange being this close to all the knights. But she would probably get used to it quickly.

"Ailith, no need to worry. We'll watch out for ya." Percival said as he came over to the fire. This knight and Erec were the ones she spoke to least, but both gave off a familiar sense of friendliness that the others did. So she smiled faintly at the man, laying out and resting her head on her arm. With one quick glance through the fire at the dark eyes watching her Ailith fell into a light sleep.

* * *

><p>It went like that for the next day as well until they reached the small village in the middle of a large valley. Ailith sighed in relief at the sight but shook that relief off when she remembered that they had five more days of riding ahead of them. In the village, the Roman family allowed the knights and their Healer to sleep until morning. They each had their own room and own bed that they had happily climbed into after a good dinner. The next morning though they were off again. Their group had grown with the addition of who carriages for the family and their close servants. The knights had been placed around the two, Arthur at the front with Dagonet behind him and Bors on the other side of the first carriage. Between the two carriages were Percival and Gawain side by side. Lancelot took up one side of the servant's carriage while Erec took up the other and Galahad took up the rear. Ailith tended to wonder between Arthur and Dagonet. Arthur brought about an interesting conversation while Dagonet was a silent pillar that Ailith could simply lean against. And by the end of their first day with the Roman family Ailith was once again stiff legged. Though, this time she made sure not to fall back.<p>

The two carriages were set up across from each other, protecting the people who had gathered in the center for the warmth of the fire. Ailith found herself staying as far from the Romans as she could, something none of the others disagreed on. She stood between Ewell and Cadmon, brushing each horse as they ate the grass by their trees. With one last pat on Ewell the woman turned fully to Tristan's horse. The dappled stallion watched her lazily behind turning his head and nudging her shoulder.

"Alright already." She laughed, running the brush over the horse's grey fur. With a neigh of amusement the creature turned back to its meal. Ailith rolled her eyes and set to her task. "You're just one big softy aren't you, Cadmon." His ear flickered towards her at the sound of his name but other than that the stallion ignored her.

"He's not normally so tame around others." A quiet, rough voice said from behind her. Squeaking, Ailith turned quickly, dropping the brush in order to grab the hilt of her sword. A soft chuckle made her realize that it had been only Tristan sneaking up on her.

"Why is it that all you knights want my heart to stop." Ailith pouted, reaching down to retrieve the fallen brush. The silent scout came up beside her and ran his hand over his horse's fur.

"You're the one who's been taking care of Cadmon?" The dark haired woman nodded, bringing her brush down said horse's neck. By now she really wasn't surprised that the knight was speaking to her. Even more so than before.

"He's a very proud thing, your Cadmon." Ailith said quietly, patting the stallion's neck. Cadmon snorted his agreement and Ailith smiled before leaning down and kissing the creatures cheek. Behind her Ewell whinnied at his new master, making the woman turn and give him a soft glare. "Now don't you be jealous. I've just worked out all those knots in your tail." Tristan watched his fellow knight's sister with curious eyes.

"It would seem that my horse is the jealous type." Ailith said with a sigh. The black horse nickered before turning back to the grass. Finishing up with brushing Cadmon Ailith returned the brush to the bag she had brought before tugging down her bedroll.

"Ailith, I have some unfortunate news for you." Said woman turned and peered around Tristan who had yet to move and found Arthur tugging his own horse to the others.

"What is it, Arthur?" The man tied off his mare before going over to the pair.

"I'd like you to help out a bit for the next few days. It seems that Galahad had a bit of a disagreement with the Roman lord and refuses to be of any help other than night watches." The woman rolled her eyes, leaning slightly into Cadmon as she listened to the commander.

"So, what would you like me to do?" Tristan raised an eyebrow, moving back to pat Ewell while listening to the two.

"Actually I'd like you to accompany Tristan during his scouting. We have more than enough men to cover the caravan and what Bors said the other day interested me." Arthur sent a smile to the girl who's grey eyes were wide.

"You heard that?"

"Bors isn't the quietest of people." Arthur replied with a slight laugh. Ailith shook her head, joining the knight with her own laughter. When they calmed a bit Arthur turned to his scout. "You don't mind, do you Tristan?" Ailith already knew what the stoic knight would say.

"No." A grin flickered across Ailith's face. Back to one word answers. Arthur turned to her and left with a quick nod, not even considering that Ailith might not want to do this particular job. But the woman shrugged and turned to the ever silent Tristan.

"So, when do we go?" She asked, smiling slightly while coming up behind the scout. He didn't turn from rubbing his hands down her horse's side but he still gave her an answer.

"I'll get you when we're to leave. Just make sure your horse is ready." And with that he left, not once glancing back at the woman.

It only took a few hours for Tristan to find her and announce that they would be leaving for their scouting. Bors had laughed, telling her that he had known she would make a good scout. Gawain and Lancelot gave her some tips; keep her sword close at hand, relax when riding and always keep her eyes open. But most of all, listen to what their fellow knight said. Though Ailith had already planned on doing just that she took the words to heart. She wouldn't be killed in some forest trying to keep a Roman family safe.

So, once good byes and good lucks had been passed through the knights to their Healer the two mounted and set off into the forest. At first the ride had been silent, save for the owls and insects songs. But she did as she was supposed to. She kept her eyes trained for anything out of the ordinary, eyes watching carefully for anything at all. A few times she'd see a doe creeping through the tree line, grazing on the dew covered grass. Or she's see a flicker of white as an owl swooped down to claim a kill. The night truly was a wonderful time. It was almost a shame that humans were not nocturnal beings. Shaking the thoughts from her head Ailith went back to keeping her senses open and paying attention to everything around her.

Going farther and farther from the camp Ailith realized something. There were no more sounds from the forest. Not even the gentle hum of a cricket.

"Tristan." Ailith quietly murmured, keeping her voice low enough that only the scout in front of her would hear. But he only nodded his hand on the bow on his back. Taking that as a sign, Ailith moved her one hand from the reins, and held the hilt of her sword tightly. Tristan brought his steed to a slow halt, dismounting slowly while the woman behind him followed.

"You don't seem nervous at all." The knight said quietly, listening still for activity within the trees. Ailith shrugged, walking up beside the scout, keeping her steps light.

"I am a trained fighter. What do I have to worry for?" Tristan gave her a hard look.

"All of our brothers were trained fighters. And look at us now." Ailith frowned, finding that she couldn't reply for a long moment. Final she looked at the man and smiled slightly.

"None of them were women. We women had natural ability to avoid men." The stoic scout laughed softly, shaking his head. Apparently the man did have a sense of humor. Ailith grinned, patting Ewell's neck before taking her bow and quiver from the saddle. "Where are they?" She asked, letting the smile fall from her face. It would do her good to put up her indifference.

"You tell me." Shooting the man a dirty look Ailith took a deep breath and slide back into the indifference. Slowing down her thoughts the woman listened cautiously for anything helpful. And after a few moments her patients were rewarded when she heard soft footsteps to her right. Nodding her head in the direction she turned her eyes to Tristan. "There." He nodded and notched an arrow to his bow. Silent as death the man took aim and fired, the string of his bow vibrating quietly and then they heard the pained cry of a man. Ailith nodded to Tristan before notching her own arrow and waiting. The screams of angry Woads soon greeted them, and Ailith waited silently until the first appeared in the trees. She took aim and fired, a satisfying thump reaching her ears when the Woad fell to the forest floor. The two Sarmatians quickly started firing arrows in unison, killing any Woad who dared cross the tree line and into their sight. But of course, as luck would have it, Ailith quickly ran out of her arrows. Unsheathing her sword, the woman quietly waited for her partner to finish with his arrows. When he pulled his sword from its leather sheath on his back, Ailith noticed the curved edge. And it was balanced too. Looking to the roman made sword in her hands, Ailith ran a finger over it before facing the battle before them.

Sword wielding Woads screamed, rushing to meet the Sarmatians head on. With a quick step, Ailith maneuvered around a rather large man and cut down his back, cutting his spine. Blood splashed up at her but the woman barely blinked. She had trained for this. She had seen blood before. Turning, she blocked a falling axe that would have cut her arm from her body. She stared into the Woads eyes, greeting green with hollow grey. Pushing the weapon away, she brought her knee up into the man's stomach, watching his stagger back before driving her sword through his chest. Pulling the blade out roughly, Ailith danced to the next target. This one actually put up a good fight. Ailith danced around the Woad, trying to get a cut in with her blade. But the man was faster than she had anticipated. He blocked everything she threw at him.

_Fine then, I guess we'll have to fight dirty with this one_, Ailith thought to herself. Faking an attack from above, Ailith slammed her leg into the Woads side and heard the whoosh of air from his lungs. Quickly, so that the man didn't have time to attack, the woman cut his head from his neck. Blood decorated her face and hands now as she quickly turned to check of the progress Tristan had made.

The man was still fighting fiercely with an arrow sticking out from the back of his shoulder. Ailith drew in a deep breath before cutting her way to his side. The Woads fell swiftly since there hadn't been many who made it past their arrows in the first place. Maybe ten at most and Tristan had killed most. Stabbing the last Woads neck the dark haired woman turned to her partner and sighed, allowing the indifference to leave her.

"We need to get you back so that I can take that out." Ailith murmured, rubbing a hand over her face, smearing the blood. Tristan nodded before walking closer to her. They both noticed the stagger in the scouts walk so Ailith slid herself under Tristan's arm, allowing him to lean against her while they went back to the horses.

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><p>Once they arrived back to the camp Ailith immediately went to her pack. She pulled the wooden box of healing supplies from the bag before tying up her horse and going back to Tristan. She had left him near the pathway to the clearing, trying to get off Cadmon.<p>

"Arthur, we're back." The woman called to the Roman commander sitting with Lancelot. The two men looked up and immediately stood when they saw the arrow sticking out from behind Tristan. Ailith quickly went to the scout and turned him, forcing him to sit where he had been, Cadmon watching over him. "Arthur, I'll need a lit candle to clean my needle." She said quietly, cutting a larger hole in Tristan's shirt. "I really hope you brought more clothing, Tristan. Else I'll have to sow this up as well." She heard him chuckle lightly, only to feel him tense under her fingers. "Are you in pain?" After a moment he shook his head and just sat with his legs crossed. Ailith was kneeling behind him, observing the wound.

"Is it deep?" Lancelot asked from behind her. The woman laid her hand on Tristan's back just beside the arrow and pressed down as gently as she could. A quiet hiss of pain made her retract her hand.

"No, it's not very deep. The archer who shot this must have been in a bad position and only shot out of desperation. Though it had torn many muscles and will take at least a week or two to heal." Arthur came back then, a candle in his hand and the other cupped around the flame. Ailith took it from him and quickly found her needles near the bottom of her box. Then she pulled out a clean rag and kept her knife out. "I need fresh water." Immediately Lancelot handed her his water skin and Ailith set it beside her.

"Arthur, Lancelot if you could please go back. I'm sure the others are worried as well." Ailith spoke softly, but there was a firm undertone to her voice. The men nodded reluctantly before doing as she asked. "I need you to be completely straight, no matter how much it may hurt." Ailith placed her cold hand once more against the knight's back, feeling him straighten before she set to work.

First she had to cut the flesh around the arrow. One clean cut made it much easier to pull the arrow from Tristan's shoulder without causing more damage. As soon as the arrow was out she poured water on the cloth and pressed it to the gash. She heard the man hiss quietly under his breath. Ailith held the cloth on his cut and moved her other hand to slowly rub Tristan's back. And as she did she could feel him relaxing very slowly. Once she felt he was calm enough for her to continue Ailith pulled the cloth away and quickly cleaned the wound. Next she held her needle over the candle fire, cleaning any germs from the metal. She made quick work of stitching the gash together. Breathing a quick sigh Ailith poured more water over the cloth then wiped away any extra blood.

"We need to get this shirt off of you so that I can wrap this." Tristan nodded, lifting his arms while Ailith pulled the tight vest away and then his shirts. When she finally saw his smooth, scarred back Ailith pressed her hand to his warm flesh. Once finger traced a long scar going down the one side of his back. A shutter went through Tristan, it snapped Ailith out of her daze. She pulled her hand away and quickly busied herself with finding the bandages in her healing box.

Once bandaged, the stoic scout slowly turned to the Healer with a very blank face. She could feel him watching her as she put away her equipment, his dark eyes made her nervous. Almost as if he could see every emotion that she felt or every thought that flittered across her mind. When she had nothing more to do Ailith turned to face the knight, her eyes on Tristan's collarbone. She knew he was watching her eyes. The eyes so many people had told her looked like her grandmothers. And were just as expressive too, even if she didn't want them to be. And only when she felt the ghost feeling of fingers over her cheek did she look up and Tristan.

He was staring at her face intently, watching the way her cheek changed from their slightly tanned colour to a faint pink and how her eyes held his even though he knew she was nervous about being so close to him. He pressed his fingers over the speckles on her temple and cheek, tracing the pattern they made. Ailith sucked in a breath, the warm trails that followed his fingers made Ailith feel chills up her spine. She slowly closed her hand over his wrist, rubbing her thumb soothingly over the skin there. Tristan's fingers moved down to Ailith's lips until a sudden yell broke the two away from each other.

"What?" Tristan yelled back and they soon found Percival walking over with a grin on his face. Ailith quickly stood, her face now a bright red. A look passed over Percival's face as he looked between his two friends.

"Did I interrupt something?" Immediately Ailith made a soft chocking sound, shaking her head back and forth.

"No, more definitely not!" Percival stared at her for a long moment before he rolled his eyes and turned back to Tristan.

"So what happened?" A silent sigh of relief left Ailith as she gave Tristan one more glace before going back to Ewell.

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><p><strong>All of the knights belong to the wonderful creators of King Arthur. Ailith is mine though, you can't have her!<strong>

**I'm very sorry for the delay in this chapter and I hope the length will make up for that. I can't promise a lot of chapters like this though.**

**I felt as though I needed to put the last scent in, just to add a bit more to the story. Tell me what you think!**

**And once again, more thanks to my wonderful reviews! Love ya!**


	8. Chapter Seven

The second night was much like the first, only Tristan and Ailith weren't attacked by Woads this time. The woman constantly reminding the scout not to pull the stitches. And just as constantly, Tristan would glare at her before ignoring her completely. When they got back to the camp both would go their separate ways, Tristan to report to Arthur and Ailith went to keep company with the knights. Truthfully, Ailith felt a little like a girl once again. She had seen much as a child, watching the others and listening to the adults. At one point she had seen one of the older girls, no more than three years her senior, constantly nagging a boy she had liked. Ailith simply rolled her eyes and continued to follow Lancelot. But from what she remembered those two ended up promised and were to be married when they had both grown more. Unlike in most Sarmatian tribes, hers had been a very mild one, keeping to themselves and only killing others when needed. And it had only been the men who killed. Actually, Ailith had been the first girl in her tribe to learn the art of war in over four generations. And that had made both of her parents proud.

Shaking her head, Ailith laid down heavily, a gust of air forced from her lungs as she met the hard ground beneath her bedroll. It had been a long time since she was a child. Even at the age of ten she had seemed older then she was. And even now she felt the weight of that on her. She knew she had been forced to grow up to fast. But that wouldn't stop her from having her fun now. But still, there was a tug at her mind, keeping her awake and away from the memories she loved to replay in dreams. It almost felt the same as the night the knights had come back injured and battered. Only this tugging was more urgent. Heaving another sigh, Ailith sat up and rubbed her tired eyes. She stood from her bedroll, carefully minding the knights sleeping around her. The Roman's had taken guard but the woman knew that the knights only slept light. Anything out of the ordinary would wake them and Ailith only hoped that her midnight walking would not wake them.

She tugged her cloak closer, feeling the cool air of the British coast line seeping into her. They were close to the sea now, the estate all but another half a day's journey. And then they'd be back at the village, safe and warm. And _separated_. Ailith made a soft sound before quickly walking to the edges of the clearing. She wouldn't be able to spend many more days with these knights and not skewer them. She had grown closer but maybe too fast for her liking. Gawain was ever careful with his friendship with her but the others? Not so much. Bors was always loud and liked to talk about his lover a lot. Galahad tended to complain a lot and liked to start fights with their scout. Percival was ever cheerful even if the others were discussing something that shouldn't be thought of with happiness. Erec was almost as silent as Tristan, but he did like to have long chats about the strangest things. Lancelot was, well, Lancelot. He was sarcastic and always teasing Bors about his children. Arthur was just himself as well. A believer in the Roman god, which, Ailith had learned was never their original god. The Romans had looked to the Greek Gods and Goddess for a very long time. And then you had Tristan. His silent ways and piercing eyes. His unemotional face and quick tongue. At the moment each trait was driving her crazy!

Ailith went to Ewell, feeling the need to be close to a silent companion who she _knew_ couldn't talk back. But the black stallion was also asleep. Sighing sadly, Ailith turned and went back to the outskirts. There she could hear everything. The calming night sounds along with the soothing lullaby of the forest. In the distance the woman could smell rain, feeling the sprites shiver in fear of the nasty winds that would come a long with the storm.

"Lady? Why are you awake?" The new voice startled Ailith from her thoughts, making her jump quite high.

"What is with you people and trying to kill me!" She whispered quietly, turning to face a man with deadly blue eyes. He was tall and had a beard growing beneath his honey gold hair. The man looked confused but Ailith just shook her head. "Nothing, nothing." She waved her hand absently, keeping her voice quiet.

"Answer my question then?" The man smiled just as the clouds uncovered the moon. Ailith took a better look at him; he was probably the same age that her father would have been if he had lived. Ailith looked up and sighed, watching the clouds once again try and cover the light.

"I couldn't sleep. Whenever I get even close to drifting off I feel as though there is something I'm supposed to be awake for and then I once again can't sleep." He nodded in understanding, walking over to the tree beside hers.

"May I ask you name?" Ailith looked back at the man with a frown. It was obvious that this man was a Briton, but why was he traveling with Romans? Or interested in anything about her?

"It's Ailith. And you sir?"

"Ah, just call me Asketel. You are the knights Healer, am I right?" The dark haired woman nodded, turning back to the man with curious eyes. "I'm sorry if I'm being a bother it's only that you remind me of my daughter. She's staying the estate we are going to."

"I see." Just then she realized how much she sounded like Tristan just then. So, shaking that thought with a smile the woman turned fully to Asketel. "How old is she, you're daughter?" The man seemed to completely relax now that she was talking more. And it made Ailith smile. Maybe she'd come from this mission and have a new friend.

"She's just turned nineteen in early spring. Her name is Marlow and she's got her mother's passion." Asketel had a strange smile on his face, somewhere between sadness and being proud. "Her mother died a few years back." Ailith nodded, understanding completely now.

"I see, I guess she and I are in the same boat. I lost my parents when I was young too." Asketel gave her a sympathetic before smiling.

"Perhaps I'll introduce the two of you when we get to the estate. I'm just about positive you two would be good friends." Just as the woman went to reply, an arrow was shot and hit one of the carriages. Jumping, Ailith grabbed Asketel and roughly pushed him in the direction of the fire between the two carriages.

"I'd love to meet you daughter and all, but right now I think I'm needed." With a grin the woman turned and raced back to her bedroll where she had stashed her sword and bow.

"Ailith! Where'd you go to, girl?" Bors called, already battling a large man. They were rogues she guessed. They dressed poorly and their weapons were rusted and definitely not in the best shape. Ailith shrugged, making her way to the horses where she could make sure they weren't taken. There was a large amount of the rogues which could mean they had planned this for a while. And if they had been watching her and Tristan fight off the Woads then they knew how skilled they were. They would not take a chance and only send this group. There must have been more in the trees.

Ailith cut down a small man and shook her head, wiping the blood on her hand onto her trousers.

"So young yet so eager to fight." She muttered, ignoring the fact that in saying that she was being a hypocrite and turned and blocking an incoming sword.

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><p>It went on like that for a while before the sounds of battle finally faded. Ailith launched one last arrow before dropping the weapon back to her side and gave a heavy sigh. Aelred snorted, nudging the woman's back only to have her turn swiftly, growling at the animal. The horse stared at her for a long moment before she finally dropped the tense stance she had.<p>

"I'm sorry boy. The battle was long and I think I may have opened up a few old cuts on my back." Not that she'd tell the knights. She'd rather bleed to death than have anyone look or touch her back. But if they asked, she wouldn't be able to lie to them. Ailith turned back to the battle field and shook her head. There were bodies lying everywhere she looked. Turning to pat her brother's horse once more, Ailith moved away from the horses. She had succeeded in her job and not one rogue had gotten anywhere near the knight's steeds. She was rather proud of herself. Glancing around, she found all but one of the knights standing and observing the death around them. Galahad looked the worse though. He was looking at the dead bodies with an angry look in his eyes. Ailith walked over to the young man, gripping his shoulder. Without looking over at her the knight placed his hand on hers and squeezed tightly.

"_RUUUS_!" Bors shouted a cry that made Ailith grin. It was the Sarmatian cry. Something that was common within each and every tribe. When she felt that Galahad had calmed enough she released his shoulder and moved over to Gawain who was sitting against a tree with his leg propped up.

"You alright?" She asked, observing the fair knight. He grinned up at her and patted the ground beside him.

"Nothing I can't handle." Ailith took a seat beside him. As gently as she could, the dark haired woman forced Gawain's leg straight on the ground. The knight groaned in pain but didn't resist her touch. Ailith tore open the clothing around his cut and quickly wiped away the blood with his pants.

"It's not bad. Just that because it's not very deep it stings more." He nodded and slung an arm around her shoulder, leaning against the woman. "It's probably going to make riding difficult and I want to properly clean it soon."

"Push one aren't ya, tiny Healer." Both laughed quietly, trying not to jostle Gawain's leg.

"Lady Ailith!" Said woman looked over at the carriages and noticed Asketel walking quickly over to them. "Are you alright?" He asked hurriedly, concern in his eyes.

"I'm fine. A few old wounds opened but it's nothing that I can't handle." Both men gave her a hard look.

"You're going to have Dagonet look at them." Gawain instantly insisted but this was something that Ailith wouldn't back down from.

"No. I will care for them in my own time." Asketel stared at her, probably the only one noticing that her eyes seemed to be taking on their hollow quality.

"Ailith, they could get infected!" The knight nearly growled, his face hard and his voice told her that she'd be unable to sway him. So finally, Ailith removed Gawain's arm and stood.

"Asketel, would you help Gawain to Dagonet?" Gawain actually did growl this time, trying to get up only to fall back into the tree with a groan of pain.

"And what of you?" The woman shook her head and sighed.

"I'll take care of myself for now." She simply said before turning and walking back to the horses.

"Ailith! Don't you dare leave this camp by yourself." Gawain shouted after her. She rolled her eyes before grabbing her bag and a dagger, just to be sure. Then she walked from the clearing, headed toward the stream she had seen a few minutes back.

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><p>Alright, so, a few minutes on horseback were much different on foot. But, after a while Ailith found the stream. She was sore now, and her back stung like it had the first time the wounds had been inflicted on her. And she could feel blood seeping into her clothing very slowly. Ailith looked around the small clearing, looking and listening for anything out of the ordinary. None of the knights had followed her, though she was positive that they had all heard Gawain shouting at her. And none of the rogues had survived their stupid plunge into their camp. So, the woman slowly striped herself of her cloak and the red backed shirt, undoing the lace at the front and laying it in the water with a large rock holding it on the shore. She undid her chest bindings, letting them fall into a pile at her feet before her trousers and breeches followed. And finally were her boots and the leather tie holding her hair in a braid.<p>

The blood washed away quickly once Ailith stepped into the stream. It was fairly deep, the current not very strong though. When it reached her waist Ailith dipped down, feeling the water rushing against her back in a soothing way. And as the water traveled beyond her she could see the blood traveling with it. The old wounds had opened more then she had thought. But the water would clean away any infections and would help her heal as well. She dunked her head under the cool water, washing away any of the enemies blood left on her from the battle.

Once she felt clean enough, Ailith stepped from the stream and dried herself with a spare cloth in her bag. She seemed to carry a lot of them with her, she mused. Once finished she put on her breeches and trousers before going back into her bag and finding the salve Sigga had made for her. One of the only things Ailith couldn't do concerning healing was make the salves. There were too many different ways and no specific rules in what herbs to use. Most people would find it easy, even Bega could make her own salves while her Healer sister couldn't.

Shaking her head the dark haired woman brushed her wet hair over her shoulder and applied the salve awkwardly to her back. She could feel the disfigured skin there, feel the raised skin from years of scarring. It didn't affect her anymore and that was only because there was no use for it. Nothing could have stopped the beatings and she would have to live with these scars for the rest of her life. And even if they did all fade, which was highly unlikely, she'd remember each and every one. Once she had put the healing concoction on her cuts, she bandaged them and put on her bindings. Next the shirt, which had no trace of blood left in it now. It was only soaking wet.

So she rung it out and hung it over a low tree branch to dry some while she worked on untangling her hair with the brush she had brought. Her cloak was over her shoulders, keeping the cool wind from her skin. Her dark hair still dripped onto her legs, but Ailith ignored that and pulled the brush through her locks. A screech sounded from above her, making Ailith jump. Sending a glare up at the familiar hawk, Ailith moved to stand up.

"Even you, eh?" She muttered, watching the rapture land on the same branch as her shirt. Cautiously, Ailith walked over to the branch, keeping her eyes on the bird. When she was directly in front of it the two stared at each other, neither backing down or moving. A flash went through her mind of a young kestrel that had stayed with her during her last time in Britain. Lifting one hand, Ailith stroked the hunting birds brown feathers and smiled lightly. "If you should find a small kestrel that goes by the name of Raleigh, tell him that Ailith is back. It's safe for him to come home." She whispered, rubbing her finger under the bird's neck. The hawk screeched before lifting off the tree and flying off.

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><p>Once she felt her shirt was dry enough she put it over her bandages and bindings before putting on her boots and walking back to the camp. When she got back she could see Gawain worriedly looking all around the circular clearing, eyes peering into the dark, looking for something. And when he saw Ailith walking out from the shadows of the trail he stood, a little shakily and quietly told the others that she was back. All the knights stood and turned to the young woman as she came closer to their circle. Now that she was closer, she could see the worry on each of their faces, but the woman pushed that to the back of her mind, not looking any of the men in the eyes. She wouldn't be forced to feel guilty for not leaving or for looking after her wounds herself. It was her right and it was not them who were her Healer but the other way around.<p>

Gawain came up to her and grabbed hold of her right shoulder. His grip was tight, but Ailith didn't flinch. Of all of them, she knew Gawain would forgive her the fastest and Lancelot would be the last. Seeing the determined look in her grey eyes, Gawain sighed and rested his forehead on her shoulder.

"Just don't do it again please." He whispered, feeling Ailith pat his shoulder soothingly. But she did not agree, and he realized only then that she was hiding something from them. With narrowed eyes, Gawain raised his head and gave Ailith a long, hard look.

"Lad, if you're going to kiss her, just do it!" Bors shouted with a grin on his face. The others chuckled, while Gawain went red in the face and moved away from the woman. Ailith laughed along with the knights, ignoring the hard look Lancelot was giving her still. She reached over and patted the blue eyed knight's cheek, kissing it after before moving on and sitting down beside Galahad.

"Where did you go?" The youngest knight asked, leaning his shoulder against hers. She didn't mind the touching if it came from Gawain or Galahad. Both were closer to her than the others. Galahad was nearly just as young as she was, only a year older she had found out. And Gawain had taken over Lancelot's place as a brother. It would be hard to leave the two of them at any time.

"Just down to that stream we passed before setting up camp. I needed to clean some old injury's that opened in the battle. And I needed to get all that blood off." Galahad gave her a look before she realized that all the knights still had blood on them. "Maybe you all should go down there yourselves." She joked, suggestively smelling Galahad's clothing. She wrinkled her nose and Bors laughing.

"Ay, I suggest we all go get clean." He announced, standing up and grabbing his pack. Arthur stood next.

"Bors, Dagonet, Gawain, and Galahad go to the stream first. When you come back the rest of us will go. The men nodded and quickly got ready for a much needed cleaning.

Once the first group of knights got back, Ailith once again settled beside Galahad with Gawain on her other side, Bors and Dagonet across the fire from them. They had no need to worry about more fighting. The sight of the corpses piled high in the far corner of the clearing was enough to ward off any other attackers. At that moment Ailith felt extremely tired, not having slept since the last night.

"Ailith, get some sleep before you fall over." Bors told the woman with kind eyes. He looked to the girl like one of his own children. She was only six years older than his eldest child and he could tell that Dagonet felt nearly the same. Since she had first gotten to Castellum she'd changed much. Instead on avoiding them or only speaking in one word answers, she had opened up to them more. They could all see that she was a fiery woman with a passionate heart. Even if she liked to say otherwise. They discussed her sometimes as well, the knights. Most of the time it was when they were in the tavern together, eating or drinking. Gawain looked after her like Lancelot should have been doing and Galahad felt nearly the same. The two of them were the closest to the dark haired woman. Dagonet and Bors came close seconds, both having their protective feelings over the girl. Percival like to tease the woman whenever he could, because she'd always have a comeback ready and Erec simply liked speaking with her because she listened to what he had to say. None were sure of Lancelot's feelings and Arthur rarely was with them when they spoke about Ailith. No one bothered to ask Tristan his opinion of the woman. Perhaps Bors would when they got back to Castellum.

"Yeah, I think I might. Galahad, do you mind me using you as a pillow?" Said woman asked, giving the young man the more innocent smile she could. The messy haired man groaned and leaned his head back.

"Why me? Can't you use Gawain?"

"Or even better yet! Your bedroll." Gawain threw in, a smile playing on his face. Ailith shook her head and grinned back.

"Nah, my bedrolls all the way over there and you guys are much comfier." They all laughed before Gawain pulled the woman to his side and rested his arm over her shoulder. Ailith laid her head on the knight's shoulder and drifted into sleep.

The next day they arrived at the Estate with a young woman racing out of the court yard and right to the carriages. She had long flowing hair of gold, not as dark as Gawain's but the exact same shade as Asketel. And her eyes were a light, rich brown colour that she must have gotten from her mother. Ailith smiled sadly, watching Asketel come from within the carriage to embrace his daughter, whispering soothing words to her and rubbing her back. Ailith had forgotten what a father would do for his child. She couldn't feel the warmth of her own anymore, a memory long lost.

"Lady Ailith!" Asketel suddenly called, interrupting the dark haired woman's musing. She turned her smile into a friendly one before moving Ewell forward to greet the aging man and his daughter.

"I said I'd introduce you to my daughter, so I shall." He said, a large grin on his face. Ailith could feel the curious eyes of the knights on her back as she dismounted and smiled at the younger woman. She was nineteen but she had open eyes unlike the other woman.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Marlow." Ailith said to the Briton woman. She could see that she had Woad resemblance. Probably from her mother's side since Asketel obviously didn't show any signs of Woad blood.

"You're name is Ailith?" Marlow asked, smiling right back at the woman.

"Ay! This is Ailith, our tiny Healer." Bors said merrily, clapping the Healer's shoulder as he came up beside them.

"Come! You and your knights will stay with us for the night before you set off again." The Roman lord said loudly, catching the attention of all the knights and their Healer. Arthur glanced around to each of his men who were mostly all grinning at the thought of an actual bed to sleep on. He turned back to the lord and nodded, saying his thanks before following the man.

"Ah, that would be our queue to follow." Ailith said with a laugh. Galahad was practically skipping towards his commander and friends. She turned back to her new acquaintances and nodded her head.

"Go, we will see you at dinner." Ailith nodded her thanks before linking her arms with a laughing Gawain and followed her company into the estate.

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><p><strong>As usual, all the cool characters belong to the makers of King Arthur. But I take claim of Ailith!<strong>

**I really hope you guys liked this chapter. I thought that it's be good put a bit more depth into the relationships with Ailith and the knights. And we'll be seeing Marlow more in later chapters. There'll be a new pairing soon :)**

**Oh, and juli 8D1819, I'm going to be putting something in for them in the next chapter. I've mostly been trying to build up her relationships with the others first.**


	9. Chapter Eight

Dinner was quite an eventful thing. Full of glares, teasing, quiet talk and entertainment. Ailith had settled in her and Marlow's room. Because this estate was much smaller than the families last one they were forced to pair up and share rooms. The only person who she could have possibly shared rooms with would have been Tristan if the golden haired woman hadn't spoken up. Ailith and the stoic scout were still avoiding one another, keeping to separate sides of rooms and not once did either even look at each other. Well, that they knew of. And Marlow was a very interesting girl to be around. She had a very contagious smile that Ailith couldn't help but admire. The younger woman seemed to keep Ailith talking all the time, not letting even one silence follow anything. And once dinner came, Asketel came to bring them to the dining hall where a very long table sat. Ailith had sat beside Galahad with her new friend beside her. Though, as luck would have it, the scout was seated right across from her.

"Hey, Ailith? When did you get the necklace?" Gawain asked, starting the dinner conversation for the knights and Healer. Ailith glanced down at her neck and fingered the old silver crescent moon hanging on a silver chain.

"I've always had it. Most of the time I just tuck it under my collar so that it won't get ruined." The woman smiled faintly, letting her hand fall into her lap. "It's the last thing I have of my mother." That had caught the attention of all the knights. They gazed at the memento then back at their Healer's face. She was staring quietly passed Tristan yet she was able to pull herself back and start eating.

"What was her name?" Marlow asked, a sad, compassionate look in her eyes. Ailith paused before taking the fork in her mouth out and swallowing her food.

"Her name was Aethelfled. It means 'noble beauty'. And that's exactly what she was known for." Ailith took another bite of the meat on her plate, not really tasting it. The one person she had missed most in her family had been her mother. But after five years of her death, Ailith had come to accept her passing and her fathers. Even Lancelot's.

Grey eyes flashed up to her brother, watching him with contemplating eyes. If he should die now, now that Ailith had found him, what would she do? Would she mourn him? Would she cry? The fact that she didn't know the answer to these questions frightened her. Had she become so cold that she wouldn't even cry if her brother was killed in battle?

"-was most beautiful woman in our tribe." Ailith locked eyes with Lancelot, immediately realizing that he had been speaking more about their mother. Something he hadn't heard him speak about yet. Feeling the sudden need to get rid of the silence cast around the table, Ailith grinned and turned her head up.

"Bet anyone as pretty as her would never have a son like you, Lancelot." Her voice was teasing and her goal had been reached. Gawain and Percival grinned, Bors laughed loudly while Dagonet chuckled softly. Lancelot faked a hurt look before tossing a pea at his sister.

"I'll have you know that I got father's handsome looks." Ailith looked at him with a raised eyebrow before looking him over.

"Really? I don't see it." This time she had nearly all the knights laughing, except of course Tristan. But she could faintly see the corners of his lips turned up.

"Sister, you hurt me so." Lancelot grinned, ducking as the pea he threw came back at him.

"Arthur, why is it that you have your Healer with you on this trip? Does she not distract your knights from their battles?" All the knights tensed when they heard the words spoken by the Roman lord at the head of the table. Even Arthur seemed slightly angered by those words. Had the Roman not seen them all fighting their hardest to protect him and his family of three? But Arthur handled it calmly, just as Ailith expected him to.

"No, my Lord. She is a good friend to two of my knights and sister to another. She can handle herself on the battle field and none of us look at her like that." In the last few words everyone could hear the anger seep into Arthur's voice, finishing the matter completely. But by then dinner had already been ruined by the Roman.

"Another reason I hate that race." Ailith moaned into her pillow, clenching her jaw tightly as Marlow soothingly rubbed circles into the older woman's shoulder. Marlow didn't hate the Romans to the point that most of the knights and their Healer did. She simply disagreed with the way they lived. Slaves and cruelty were two things that the young woman couldn't stand. Yet both were everywhere Romans were. Ailith rolled onto her side and smiled at Marlow.

"But you know, I'm the lucky one of the two of us. I can leave here at day break and not once have to look back. You will be stuck here for as long as your father wishes you to." The golden haired girl nodded, a sad look to her eyes. Ailith was blunt like that, she realized after a few moments. She spoke the truth when she was with people she liked and only lied when she had to.

"So, the dark haired one is your brother?" Marlow asked, trying to change the topic. She didn't want to think about how long she'd have to stay here. Ailith sat up and nodded, seating herself beside the younger woman.

"Yeah, Lancelot is my blood brother. He's eight years older than me and he was my idol as a child." Marlow frowned, noting that Ailith started fiddling with the hem of her sleeve.

"What happened to make you change your opinion on him?" The dark haired woman's eyes snapped back up to Marlow's brown ones with wonder.

"I didn't change my opinion at all! I still idolize the younger Lancelot but I don't know this new, older one." She took a deep breath, wondering if she should tell this girl who had lived such a nice life about her past. It wasn't a pretty thing.

"What do you mean?" Even as she said that, the blond haired girl realized that Ailith hadn't told this story to anyone yet. It wasn't a matter of trust. Only a matter of Ailith being able to go back and retell her story. "It will feel lighter if you tell someone." Marlow said softly. Ailith's grey eyes darkened as she pulled away from the girl, shaking her head.

"No, if I'm to tell anyone it will be one of the knights first. I've known them all for a month now and each have taken care of me in one way or another. But they're all like my brothers." As soon as the words left her lips, Ailith knew they were true. She had denied it earlier by listing off ways that they all annoyed her, but no matter how much you love family there will be traits you don't like. A smile lit Ailith's face as she turned her once again lighter eyes back to Marlow. "I'm sorry Marlow. I'm not ready yet to tell my tale. But I'll tell you what. Find me at Hadrian's Wall one day. I'll tell you then." And with she shooed the girl off her bed and curled up under the covers.

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><p>"Everyone ready?" Arthur called back, glancing at the tired men and Healer as they dragged themselves into their saddles. Arthur glanced over at Tristan with amused eyes only to find the scout yawning tiredly. Arthur simply laughed. "Even you, Tristan?" Shaking his head, the scout apologized before urging Cadmon into a gallop.<p>

"Wait, Arthur!" Everyone glanced over to the estate with curious eyes as they watched Asketel and Marlow racing from the structure. A large bag was in the woman's hands.

"Asketel, what is it?" Arthur and the older man had talked during dinner that night and it would seem Asketel had left a good mark on the commander.

"Please, take my Marlow with you. She needs to be with others that will not give her dirty looks for her heritage." He paused, catching his breath before continuing. "Please do this for me, and I will do everything in my power to pay you back." Arthur looked astounded for a moment before he could reply.

"What will she do to earn her living?"

"I can do mandatory cleaning and cooking also I'm very good at sewing and mending clothes." Arthur paused, thinking for a moment while his horse, Manius, shifted from one hoof to the other, impatient to move on.

"We can find you work at the tavern or with the Seamstress." Asketel blanched at the first option. But Ailith smiled at the aging man.

"Don't worry Asketel, I'm a part time worker there and also, Bors lover, Vanora is a full time worker. Neither one of us will let her get hurt." Some colour returned to the man's cheeks while he nodded, and turned to the girl.

All eyes moved from the two, letting them have a moment of peace before they were to leave. "Ailith, go ahead and see if you can find Tristan. If you do, stay with him and if you do not just come back." Arthur called to the woman, nodding his head in the direction their scout had left in. The dark haired woman nodded before quickly urging Ewell into a gallop.

It was strange to be riding by herself even if she had gotten used to the saddle and jerky movements of the beast beneath her. She knew she wouldn't fall now but just the fact there was no one in front or behind her. Up the trail were both the marks of their travel there and the lone marks of Tristan's movement back up. And soon they would be washed away by the rain that threatened to fall above her. The clouds were nearly black, thunder rumbling high above. Inwardly, Ailith could feel the wind spirits dancing around her, feeling the trick of her blood. Because she was marked by the Goddess the spirits and sprites no longer shied away from her. They seemed to greet her like one of their kin. The dark haired woman smiled before spurring her horse to go faster, wanting to feel the wind in her hair and the cool drops of rain on her face.

"Tristan!" She called happily as she sighted the man ahead of her. He slowed Cadmon to a trot and waited for the woman to catch up.

"What's the hold up?" He asked in his neutral voice. Ailith smiled because just then the rain started to fall in heavy drops.

"We have another joining us. You remember Marlow from yesterday evening?" The woman actually had to raise her voice to be heard clearly over the rain. But the stoic scout nodded just the same. "Her father asked us to take her with us." He nodded again before turning away from her and watched the trail around them again. With a roll of her eyes, Ailith set to do the same. Yet it was harder to pay attention to around her when she could feel the water dripping down her face, soaking her cloak.

"We'll stop here." Tristan called roughly from beside her, motioning to a very small clearing just inside the cover of the trees. Ailith nodded and dismounted, leading Ewell into the trees. From behind her, Tristan observed the woman who seemed to have caught the attention of all his brothers. He could see the same traits Lancelot had in her. The dark hair and fluid movements. Her expressive face and her skills with a blade. But she also had her own traits that made her more unique. But she was not beautiful. No, she was a step up from simple but not beautiful. She turned her head to glance back at him, making sure he was still there, and smiled when she caught his eyes.

Inside the clearing it was dry and the air moist. Ailith tugged her horse over to one of the trees where he immediately started grazing on the grass there. Ailith smiled and took the saddle down from Ewell's back, patting the horse's wet side before placing her things on the ground. The dripping woman dropped her cloak to the ground, water splashing onto her pants. Tristan was doing the same on the other side, patted Cadmon down with a dry rag. When he finished he moved over to the other two, rubbing Ewell down with it.

"Thank you." Ailith murmured, running her fingers through the horse's mane. "Ah, I'll have to brush you again now, boy." She said teasingly, patting the animal once more before grabbing her cloak and Tristan's, hanging them over a lower tree branch to dry.

"I will wait for the others." Tristan announced, not glancing at the woman before moving out of the circle. Grey eyes followed him carefully. Ailith didn't know what it was about the man that interested her. He was cool and reserved most of the time, keeping only to himself. But maybe it was only physically he interested her. The scout reminded her of home when she was with him. Everything down to his clothing. Even his eyes. His eyes reminded her of the dark nights they had in Sarmatia when the moons cycle finished, leaving only the stars to light the sky. And because of his Iazyges heritage he had darker skin, like he had sat in the sun for far too long and his skin had turned a lovely tanned colour. But what seemed to draw her in the most was his ability to drive a weaker man off with just a stare. A stare that held loneliness and thirteen years of hardship.

Jerking herself from those thought, Ailith took Ewell's brush from her bag and set to work on brushing the knots out of the horse's mane and tail. She knew that Tristan could still see her. Every few minutes she'd feel the dark stare of the scout from his place beside the trail. But she ignored it to the best of her abilities. She didn't need to have these thoughts or feelings. She never had before, and she probably never would. But it was tempting to turn her head just a little and look back at the man. But for now she turned her attention to her horse and spoke softly in her native tongue.

"Ewell, it seems that I've come across something odd. That scout back there seems to be filling my head and I can't get him out. He is like a constant song that runs through my mind for hours on end." The horse whinnied, shaking his head before straightening up and looking at his rider. The odd blue eyes seemed to tell her everything she needed to know, yet she just couldn't grasp it. "You know, bet anything you're telling me how stupid I am for talking to a horse." Ailith laughed half-heartedly before focusing back on her task.

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><p>They didn't get back to Castellum until two days later. Two days of convincing Galahad to let Ailith sleep on him. Two days of constant rain and two days of Lancelot complaining about his hair. And when they got back, the rain suddenly let up, annoying most of the men but only adding to Ailith and Marlow's amusement.<p>

"You'll probably stay with me until Arthur can find you a free room. Though I warn you now, it's a bit strong in there. I keep some of my herbs in my room until I can get them dried." Ailith said to the other woman. "Oh! But first, once we get your stuff put away I can introduce you to a few people. And I'll help you find ways to remember the knights." The golden haired woman looked absolutely amazed to see such a small yet large place, filled with both Britons and Romans. Ailith showed Marlow to the room and told her just to put her things at the end of the bed. Ailith would probably have to ask Jols for some extra quilts before the day was out. They quickly changed into dry dresses, Ailith into a dark blue one and Marlow in a white dress. Then they moved on, going back down the hall and stairs to the tavern.

"You're sister works in the tavern? How old is she?" The fair haired woman asked, falling into step beside her company. Ailith shrugged.

"I wouldn't call it working. She helps Vanora and the cook out, cleaning things, taking out the broken basins. Things like that. And she's thirteen." Marlow seemed started by her sister's age, brown eyes wide.

"She's still a girl, yet she works?"

"She likes being useful. And since I will be away with the knights when needed it'll help to have Vanora and the others watching her." Ailith shrugged again and tugged her hair over her shoulder. She ran her fingers through the dark tresses, working out some knots and pulling the curls out from the bottom of her hair. "She's always been like that, ever since she _could_ help."

"Ailith! It's good to see you." A familiar voice shouted once they neared the tavern. Ailith's face broke out into a grin when the red haired Vanora gave her a tight hug. Pulling away, Ailith directed the older woman's attention towards Marlow.

"Vanora, this is Marlow. She might be helping you out in the tavern. Marlow, this is Bors lover, Vanora. And don't be surprised if you see little children running about. They'll all be hers." The darker of the three grinned, she loved teasing Vanora about her wonderful ability to grant children life. Not once had she ever lost a child during childbirth.

"By the way, Bors doesn't know yet but they'll be another along soon." Ailith's eyes widened before she nearly knocked the other woman over with a hug.

"Congratulations!" She shouted, unable to stop the smiles from spreading. Vanora laughed and shook her head.

"Being with the men so long has affected you, silly girl." She said, patting the younger woman's cheek before turning to Marlow. "Come, we'll go find Bega now. And perhaps Sigga and Eadric too."

Once Marlow was introduced to everyone life seemed to go on just as they had left it. And when Ailith went to help out, Vanora nearly attacked her with a spoon.

"Oh no you don't! You've been away for a week. You're not doing any work until at least tomorrow." She demanded, tapping the woman lightly with the wooden spoon. Then she took Marlow by the arm and led her to the kitchen. The men around her laughed at the stunned expression on Ailith's face before Gawain pulled her into his lap.

"Stay a while, Ailith. Keep us men company for a while." The woman laughed before slinging an arm over the knight's shoulder and shifted into a more comfortable position.

"Now Gawain, don't go and trouble my dear sister. I'm sure Vanora will have your head." Bors laughed, nodding before taking a long gulp of ale.

"Should it be you taking his head, dear brother of mine?" Ailith teased, a smile on her face. The others started their own conversations while Gawain turned his head up to Ailith.

"I've noticed you seem to be smiling more." He said quietly, observing her expression. The woman simply looked down at him and smiled again, kissing his forehead before sliding off his lap. She went off to the end of their tables and took a seat beside Tristan. He was standing, watching Galahad trying to best Gawain's last throw with his knife. It was a common game for the two. Normally Gawain won since his partner was too drunk by the end. And Tristan would always watch from one of the pillars while eating his apples. Sometimes he'd even join the game, beating both.

"Happy to be back?" She was going to say _home_ near the end but instantly thought better of it. None of them thought of this place as home. Home was in Sarmatia, with their tribes or each other. Ailith didn't blame them either. Arthur was the only one who had seemed to take to this island.

Tristan shrugged, cutting a slice of apple before casually biting the piece. Ailith simply laughed and turned back to watch her two friends. Galahad was ahead right now, but with the way he was going with his drink it wouldn't last for long.

With the sound of crunching apple behind her and the sight of her two closest friends playfully teasing each other Ailith smiled.

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><p>Later that night, Ailith was stuck helping the knights back to their rooms. They had all drank too much save for Tristan who stuck to his apples and Dagonet who had watched his brothers with a gentle smile. The scout had helped Gawain to his room, Dagonet helping Vanora get Bors home and Ailith had to help her brother while Bega helped Galahad. Erec and Percival had laughed their way down the halls, only slightly tipsy, which seemed to break them down into giggling boys.<p>

"Come on, Lancelot. In we go." Ailith finally sighed, reaching the man's door. Tristan was probably back in his room already but the woman couldn't tell. So, she kicked Lancelot's door open and hauled him to the bed. Once seated, her brother fell backwards and sighed.

"How did they die?" he suddenly asked just as Ailith went to stand up. She paused, thinking about if it would be safe to tell him. "Tell me, Ailith. I want to know." She sighed and sat back down, resting her hands in her lap.

"Mother and father both died bravely. I remember mother rushing me and Bega out into the Elder's tent. Hiding us with the other children. She left soon after, trying to find father, to bring him back from the fight. But I sat with Bega in my arms and I can remember Tate telling me one thing. 'Be strong, little one. There is much to live for.' And he was right. Mama and Da had died on the field, trying to protect us from the Huns. We found them the next morning. Only a handful of the men survived and I had cried for so many hours." Ailith paused, taking a deep breath, her eyes stinging. She glanced at Lancelot with downcast eyes. "I cried for you as well. I didn't know if you were alive and I was alone with no one to care for either me or Bega. A year later the Romans came and took three of us. Only three." Her voice broke at the last words and suddenly she was engulfed by two strong arms. All she could smell was alcohol and the sea. And in a matter of moment she had broken down and cried. She turned in her brothers arms, clinging to his shirt while her tears soaked his shoulder.

"Shh, all is fine now." Perhaps he wasn't as drunk as Ailith had thought. "I'm here now, shh." Lancelot leaned back, pillowing Ailith's head with his arm while his other was wrapped around her shoulders.

"There was so much pain, brother." She whimpered, not caring what she spoke anymore. It was just good to let her tears go. All the seven years of pain and misery coming out in one go. But her brother simply rubbed his hand on her back, quietly soothing Ailith until she fell into a restless sleep. Lancelot sighed, kissing his sister's forehead before closing his eyes and drifting off as well.

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><p><strong>All these wonderful character belong to the makes of King Arthur, except of course for Ailith!<strong>

**Okay, with all your reviews I was inspired to finish this chapter. It's now 3:30 in the morning and I am hungry, tired and my cat is snoring behind me. I wish you all good night and good reviews :)**

**I hope this last scene was a good one to bring Ailith and Lancelot close. Tell me what you think.**


	10. Chapter Nine

Spring turned into summer on the island, bringing the summer storms that annoyed everyone. There was no chance to ride and after missions everyone came back with running noses and sneezes. And now, after lunch all the knights would gather in their living quarters and just watch the rain while chatting. Most of the time the conversations revolved around what they'd do once the storms passed or they'd just complain about the heat. Right now was one of those times. Ailith was seated beside Dagonet on the rail, her feet over the side and rain wetting her toes.

"Honestly! When will it end?" Lancelot moaned, his head hitting the wooden boards under them. He was sprawled out over the floor with Arthur sitting beside him. Galahad was still sleeping off his cold and Gawain was sitting underneath Ailith. Bors was at his own home, taking care of the children while Vanora worked. Erec was leaning against one of the pillars a bit away from Ailith and Percival was standing beside Arthur.

"It'll end when it ends! Stop complaining!" Ailith finally snapped, glaring slightly at her brother. After the night when Ailith told him what had happened all those years ago they had gotten a bit closer. He really hadn't been as drunk as she had thought. The dark knight flapped his hand, brushing off the woman's comment before letting it fall once again onto the ground.

"Has anyone seen Tristan today?" Percival asked suddenly, looking at the clustered group of men.

"Scouting." Ailith replied, moving her feet back and forth in front of her.

"Hey!" Gawain shouted as the cold water from the back of her feet hit his back.

"Oh, sorry!"

"So he probably won't come back up here first." Percival continued, ignoring the two. It was common now for Ailith to bug the fair haired knight. It seemed that if she wasn't with Marlow and Vanora at the tavern she was with the bright eyed knight. Or they'd be together with Marlow, chatting about the young woman's live before they had met her.

"He'll have to come see me first." Arthur replied, raising his head from the wall. It would seem that even Arthur was less than normal on rainy days. More open in a way. It was amusing sometimes.

"Then we can all laugh at him. He'll probably look like a wet cat." Ailith said with a grin, she turned herself to face the others, keeping her balance perfect while her feet rested on the wooden rail beside Gawain's head. The dress she was wearing was shorter, only coming up to her knee and had no sleeves. Perfect for the weather. The others nodded with smiles on their faces.

Just then they heard the sound of fast approaching feet coming up the stairs to their hall. In a matter of seconds Jols was there, panting and looking very alarmed.

"Jols, what is it?" Arthur demanded, standing up and going to the squire.

"Village – Woads." He gasped, pointing in the direction on the wall. All of them went into action, standing up and rushing into their rooms. Ailith stood still, watching the men each coming out from their rooms and coming over to her. Dagonet patted her shoulder before leaving, giving her the same gentle smile that he always did. Ailith never went on missions like this. Only the missions that took long periods of time. Galahad soon came from him room, dressed and ready but still yawning. He walked over to Ailith and kissed one of her cheeks before moving down the stairs. Gawain came next, kissing her other cheek and hugging her tightly before going. Percival patted her head, winking like normal and Erec just gave her a tight smile. Of all the knights Erec was always the most worried. This, in turn, worried the dark haired woman. Lancelot finally came last, hugging her loosely before kissing her forehead and disappearing. The woman simply stayed where she was, watching the knights rush down to the stable.

"Be careful." She whispered.

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><p>The knights didn't come back until night fall. When they lumbered into the tavern relief washed over three of the women there. Vanora immediately went to her lover's side with a cloth, patiently waiting for him to dry off before kissing him warmly. Ailith and Marlow soon followed, carrying similar cloths and handing one to each knight. Once that was over with Ailith quickly checked over each knight, finding nothing more than small cuts on their arms and faces.<p>

"Bega, can you go ask the cook to make these men up something warm?" Ailith called, spotting the young girl grabbing some dirtied dishes. Bega smiled at the knights before nodding and going back into the kitchen. Ailith turned back to the knight currently in front of her, who happened to be Arthur, and quickly brushed her fingers against a cut on his forehead.

"None of you have deep wounds that need cleaning or stitching." She said softly to herself, moving away from the commander. Then to all the knights she smiled. "You got lucky this time, knights." They all laughed and went to their usual places.

"Ailith? Can you possibly help me with these monsters?" Vanora called with a teasing tone in her voice. The dark haired woman looked over to find her red haired friend surrounded by her children.

"Alright everyone! Isn't it nearing your bedtime?" Ailith called, dancing her way through the drunken men and laughing barmaids. She stopped in front of the second youngest and picked him up, setting the boy on her hip. "Come on, I promised a story this time, right?" With a cheer, the brood followed after her, the eldest carrying the youngest of them.

"Thank you, love." Vanora spoke before going back to refilling mugs. Ailith nodded, following the children to Vanora and Bors' home. It wasn't anything big, a home with a large family room and kitchen with two bedrooms. While the children slept in the largest room, Vanora and Bors slept in the other. Or sometimes on the floor in Bors case.

"Now, what story shall I tell you all?" The dark haired woman pondered, sitting down on Three and Four's bed. The only named child in the brood was Gilly, the fifth born child. The others were called by their numbers.

"Oh! What about the one with the dragon?" Six cried excitedly from her bed. Ailith smiled at the small girl, thinking quickly of the story and relaxing on the bed. She quickly checked to make sure all the children were settled, One cuddling with Eight and the others listening closely for her to start.

"Once, a long time ago there was a beautiful dragon. His scales shone like the sun and were always white. He didn't know why he was white though. All of his family were dark coloured dragons. He was chased from his family, leaving behind a little brother and his sick mother, but the dragon still left. He traveled far and wide, looking for others that looked like him. But no matter where he went, no others looked like him. It saddened the dragon and he finally gave up his search. He made a home in a large cave surrounded by trees and the ocean.

"One day, after hunting the dragon came across an interesting sight. A woman with a little child was sitting outside his cave. The woman had tears running down her face and the child in her arms wasn't moving. The dragon asked what had happened. 'She died when the mages attacked my village.' She woman started weeping, hugging the child. The dragon felt sympathy for the woman. She didn't need to be alone like he had been. So, the dragon curled around the woman, offering his comfort.

They lived together for a long time after their first meeting. The dragon hunted for them while she cooked and kept their home clean. One night though, an attack sounded from far in the distance. The dragon worried that the attackers might come to their cave and started to leave. But the woman was afraid that he wouldn't come back. He told her something though. He said to her 'did you know that before you came to me, I was all alone? I was shunned by my family and was not allowed to see my mother or brother. I don't even know what happened to them. But you've kept me company. You've been a light in my darkness.' And with that the dragon left. And the woman never saw him again. Instead, she looked forward to her time. When she'd pass on and meet him again and tell him that she loved him."

Ailith glanced around and found that nearly all the children were asleep or very close to it. With a content smile the dark haired woman turned, kissing Four on the head before slipping from the room.

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><p>The next morning it was sunny. An amazing change from the black clouds constantly lingering over the Wall. Ailith paused in her room, glancing out the window to see the blue sky that seemed to never show itself on this island. That night she had gone back to the tavern, avoiding puddles only to find herself in the middle of a brawl. Some Roman had started a fight with the knights which had resulted in a fight. Thank goodness Arthur hadn't been there. He would have beaten some sense into each of his knights. Though, Ailith probably would have laughed. Smiling at the memory, Ailith quickly braided her hair and put on her leather boots before leaving the room.<p>

The sun felt nice on Ailith's skin, reminding her of the first day she had come to the village. It had been a long time since then. As she walked down the halls the woman could hear the soft snores of the knights and she smiled softly. Her footsteps were light, easy to accomplish with her boots. She hurried down the stairs and down the street to the tavern.

"Vanora, can I have some food to go?" Ailith asked, walking farther into the open area of the tavern. It must have been much earlier than she had thought because only the barmaids working morning shifts were awake. Even Bega wasn't up yet.

"Going somewhere?" The red head asked, coming back with a small wrapped bundle. Inside were half a loaf of bread and some cheese. Ailith nodded before glancing up at the sky.

"It's such a nice day out. I plan to take Ewell for a ride since we haven't had the chance in a while." Vanora smiled before patted the other woman's hand.

"Hold on a second." She rushed back into the kitchen and came out a moment later with another wrapped bundle containing the same as the first with an addition of an apple. "Tristan went out for the same reason. If you should see him, give him this." Ailith nodded and tucked the bundles into the small bag on her hip. She was clad in her mission clothes. Black trousers with breeches underneath and a white shirt with a tie in the front. Only today, she wore a leather vest that kept her slightly oversized shirt from getting in the way and a belt with Celtic circles sown into it.

"Alright. Though, there's probably no chance of me finding him unless he wants to be found." Vanora laughed while nodding.

"True, now off you goes. I'll tell Bega and Marlow that you said good morning."

"Oh you probably won't have to worry about Marlow. If Gawain is awake she'd simply be following after him." It would seem that their new friend had a soft spot for the fair haired knight. Ailith had caught the girl staring at him from the bar, quietly cheering him on against Galahad while they played their knife game.

"Just like a certain someone with the scout?" Ailith frowned, trying hard to think about what the woman was talking about. "You and Tristan, you silly girl!" Immediately the dark haired woman flushed, shaking her head.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." So she watched Tristan from afar as well. But it wasn't like she was mooning over the man! He simply interested her. Nothing more. "I have no feelings for him." She told the other, a determined look in her eyes.

"Whatever helps you sleep, love." Rolling her eyes Ailith slipped from the tavern and headed off to the stables.

* * *

><p>Ewell practically flew from the stables once he was geared up. They road as far as they could before stopping to rest somewhere along the wall for a break. Seventy-three miles of freedom to roam. But they never dared leave sight of the wall. Britain may have been an island but this island was large. And if something happened to Ailith, Ewell would know where to go to get help. But the feeling of the warm wind and the blue sky above them made a large grin spread across the dark haired woman's face.<p>

The two continued down the wall more after a break. Not stopping until the distance started to make Ailith feel nervous. They turned and the woman urged her horse to walk back along the path they were on. Britain was lovely in its own way. The island was more trees than field and the way the morning mist created a haunting feel to the earth that always interested Ailith. The woman leaned down in her saddle and patted Ewell's neck.

"Take us back Ewell." She murmured before leaning back and basking in the light. Everything felt right now. Arthur was supposed to find them. It was a part of the Goddess's plan. A sudden repetitive cry sounded, breaking Ailith from her train of thought. She looked up to see a small bird swooping down at her. Immediately Ailith jerked her hand up, her fingers in a tight first. The bird came closer and landed easily on the woman's wrist.

"Raleigh! Guess my hawk friend gave you the message?" Ailith said quietly, a large smile on her face. Now her family was complete again. The kestrel was the same one she had rescued from a large eagle. The tiny raptor had been cut up with gashes and feathers missing. Ailith had hidden the bird from the Romans, feeding it and bringing it back into health. She had named him Raleigh which meant red wood. Ailith rubbed a finger against the tiny bird of prey's neck before turning back to the trail. "Things are a little different now though, Raleigh." The grey eyed Healer murmured in Sarmatian, keeping her arm up high for the kestrel. He tilted his head and screeched at her. "Yeah, yeah. Shush."

Ailith stopped Ewell once they came into sight of Castellum. In the far distance she could see the knights racing one another on their horses, the black and white colours of their mounts being easy to recognize in the grassy fields. And closer to her was a single dapple stallion on a hill, his rider lying out on the grass. Ailith chuckled and dismounted Ewell, leading the black horse towards the figure. From her hand, Raleigh watched quietly, his golden eyes locked on the knight.

"Hello Tristan." Ailith called, walking up the hill and nudging the scout's foot with her own. The man's eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the bright light behind the woman. "Do you mind me joining you?" The stoic man simply shrugged and closed his eyes again. Chuckling softly the dark haired woman moved her hand in front of her. "Time to go, you. You know where I am now, stay close." She whispered to the kestrel before tossing her arm into the air. The raptor took off with a screech before disappearing into the clouds. Ailith then turned to Ewell, taking off the saddle on his back before letting the horse walk over to Cadmon.

"You're a bit of an animal person." A soft voice said as the woman sat down. Ailith glanced down at the scout, raising an eyebrow.

"You're one to talk." She started, moving her legs out the stretch them. "I see how you care for Cadmon. He is you companion and you are his." She finished, brushing her black hair from her eyes. She was already feeling the sun seeping into her skin.

"Ay, same with the hawk." The man tilted his head up to a far tree where a familiar hawk sat, watching the two. "Her name's Amice."

"So, she's yours then. Explains a lot." Ailith muttered, gazing lazily back at the bird. The bird was just as odd as her master. Showing up at odd times without much of a warning at all. "I've been seeing her everywhere. We have chats sometimes." A soft laugh came from the woman as she remembered asking Amice to help her find her own feathery friend. "You'll have to thank her for me." She finished before flopping down beside the scout.

Even now, Ailith had to admit that she had changed around the knights. She was much more open with her emotions. Hell, if it hadn't been for these knights she would have never trusted anyone other than those she had grew up with. Now she was smiling more than ever. Even when she was a child she hadn't smiled this much. Ailith lifted one hand, palm out and blocked the sun from her eyes.

"'Tis a nice day." The scout said softly, eyes still closed. Ailith glanced over at him and chuckled. Tristan reminded her of a lounging cat, sunbathing. The man turned his head to her, eyes open now and his arm moving slowly down to her face.

_Oh no, not this again_! Ailith thought urgently. Her distress probably showed in her eyes because the scout moved quickly, his fingers rubbing against Ailith's face as she stared at him with wide eyes. His fingers were warm and rough from years handling weapons of all kinds. But it felt nice against her skin. His eyes seemed to stare right through her as he watched her expression. Tristan's fingers trailed down from her forehead to her temple, following the trail of dots on her skin. Soon his hand cupped her cheek, his thumb rubbing soothing circles against Ailith's flesh.

She couldn't move away either. Her body seemed to _need_ the contact. Like she had never been touched before and now the feeling seemed to overwhelm her. Ailith's eyes closed, leaning into Tristan's hand, his eyes tracing over every detail on her face. The way the sun played in her hair, making the brown in it even more noticeable. Or how her face was more heart shaped than angular. Turning himself slightly, Tristan's other hand came down onto her face, softly ghosting across her skin as he moved stray bits of hair from her face. Ailith's lips turned into a soft smile, her eyes opening to stare back into the scouts.

The sudden screech of a hawk and kestrel snapped both from the moment, Ailith nearly jumping away from the man while Tristan simple blinked and rolled onto his back once again. His fingers tingled from where he had touched her, and his eyes still watched as Ailith pressed a hand over her chest. Her heart was beating far too fast for her liking. Why was it that her body didn't seem to agree with her mind when she said she was simply interested in him? There was no chance in hell that she'd fall in love right now. Wait, love?

Ailith blinked, forcing the thought from her mind before raising her hand and watching her feathered friend land there. His talons didn't dig into her as much as they used to when he was young. He was mindful of how easily he could hurt her.

"Welcome back, Raleigh." Ailith stood, careful not to jostle the bird before turning to Tristan, nervousness in her eyes. "Well, uh, nice talking with you." She said softly, receiving nothing more than a nod before she fled to the horses. "Oh!" She sounded to herself, pulling out the wrapped food that she had kept safe for the scout. She turned back to the man and tossed it at his chest.

"Omph!" Smirking to herself, Ailith moved Raleigh to her shoulder while she saddled Ewell once again.

"Vanora." She called back to him before mounting and heading back to the village.

* * *

><p><strong>All these wonderful character belong to the makes of King Arthur, except of course for Ailith!<strong>

**Okay, I am aware that this chapter was complete crap. I couldn't seem to get any ideas for this chapter, so I guess it's just one of those calm ones before the storm :)**

**Thanks sooooo much for the reviews everyone! Thanks especially to Shi, LadyQueenB, BooBoo and Druid Archer. Please continue to show your support. Love ya!**


	11. Chapter Ten

Ailith tried her best for the next few days to completely avoid any contact with Tristan. If she saw him in the stables, she'd duck behind the stall gate and sit quietly until he had left. If he was in the tavern with the others, she'd get Marlow to cover them. Not that the girl minded though. If he was on the hill, she'd go into the forest a while away from the village. With her sword of course. And then there was the tricky part of avoiding him in the knight's bedroom hall. Anything she did, he'd always notice her. He even seemed to time himself, making sure he was walking in or out of his room at the exact moment she was leaving or going to her own room. And it frustrated Ailith to no end.

Right now she was sitting beside Lancelot in the fortress hall, awaiting Arthur so that he could brief the large group on an upcoming mission. And at this moment Ailith was especially glad that Lancelot sat at the other end of the table from the other knights. Erec was the closest to them and still he was quite a few chairs down. The seat Ailith was sitting in now was that of Sir Gareth, a knight who had fallen closer to the beginning of their servitude. And as she sat in the wooden chair, she could feel the coolness of a lingering presence. Ignoring the chill in her bones, the grey eyed Healer glanced around the round table. It was midday and by now all the men had fully awoke. Though, Galahad had a bit of a rude awakening which also turned into Ailith's rude awakening.

Gawain and Percival thought it would be funny to poor a bucket of ice cold water over the youngest knight's head while he slept. The messy haired man woke, screaming and cursing the other knights, chasing them back and forth down the hall. Ailith was surprised the whole deck didn't collapse under them. But she could see lingering tiredness in some of the knights. Like Bors who had been kicked out from his home due to Vanora's raging emotions. Oh the joys of being pregnant.

"Good day, knights!" Arthur called, stepping into the room with a tired look in his expression. He had probably stayed up for most of the night, planning their mission and routes to take. The men in the room made some sort of sound or voiced a reply but none really seemed to into it. Arthur chuckled half-heartedly before sitting at his place and gazing at the faces around him.

"We will be leaving tomorrow at dawn to help a large village on the far coast. They have been having Woads and rogues attacking them, killing and stealing livestock, burning homes, cutting down crops. This will mean we will be there for a while, probably a week at the most. It will take three days to get to the village and another three days to get back." He stopped for a moment, letting his words sink into the men's heads.

"Wait, you're telling me that I've gotta leave Vanora by herself for nearly two weeks while she's with child?" Bors demanded, standing up from his chair and glaring at Arthur. "The children won't have anyone looking after them and –" Arthur cut the large man off by raising his hand.

"Bors, Marlow and Bega will be there to help Vanora the entire time. Marlow's good with the older children and Bega is more than familiar with the younger ones. Vanora will be fine." Ailith calmly threw in, glancing at her friend with sympathetic eyes. She also didn't want to be gone for all that time. She hadn't spoken with Eadric and Dax in quite some time and Bega would be by herself in the knight's hall. Perhaps she could convince her sister to stay with Tate and Sigga or even Vanora.

"Listen to the girl, Bors." Dagonet said softly from beside his friend. Both men gave Ailith a quick look before Bors settled back into his chair. Maybe they had seen the worry in her eyes. The pain of leaving you loved ones by themselves for a long time. Ailith cared for the knights, yes, but the remanded of the slave group here in Castellum were her family.

"Like I said, we will leave at dawn and hopefully make it to the village by midday on the third day." Arthur began again, tossing a map to Tristan. He knew immediately what to do with it and tucked it under his arm. "I want you all ready to go before you go to sleep and then we will meet at the stables." And with that the Roman commander left the room, followed closely by Jols.

"Well then, let's go pack up then." Gawain grunted standing and stretching out his back. The woman followed his lead, stretching her arms above her head.

"I'll meet you guys up there in a bit." She said to the room before rushing from the hall.

"Please, please, please stay with Vanora!" Ailith pleased her younger sister. They were sitting with the other Sarmatians, eating lunch and disusing the fair weather they seemed to be having. Bega eyed her sister suspiciously before frowning.

"Why?" Ailith sighed and rested her chin in her hand, leaning against the table in front of her.

"Arthur got news of some village on the coast in need of help. We're going to be staying in the village for at least a week to make sure the attacks are over with before we come back. It'll take two weeks, if not more." She explained, tilting her head and resting her other hand on the table top.

"And why do you have to go?" Eadric asked, an annoyed look on his face.

"Because Ailith is the knight's personal Healer." Sigga deadpanned. The entire house had celebrated Ailith's promotion from apprentice to Healer all those months ago.

"You know what I mean!"

"Not really." The elderly lady said with a grin. Tate and Dax sighed in unison before Dax batted the younger man with his hand.

"She's not going to get hurt. She's been trained far too well." Every member at the table knew what that statement meant. It caused a shiver to go through two of the members there. "That and she's got a group of men watching her back." Dax now grinned, clapping his other hand on the young woman's shoulder. Ailith laughed and shook her head at the man's antics.

"Bega, you can stay with us if you need to." Sigga said to the youngest member in their group. She smiled warmly at the girl before taking the girls hand from across the table. "I understand her worries. I wouldn't want you staying up there by yourself either." Ailith smiled at the older woman before standing up and giving each a tight hug.

"Now that that's settled –"

"Ailith, where do you think you're goin'?" An irritated voice suddenly sounded from behind the dark haired Healer. Ailith gulped before turning with a grin.

"I was coming to see you, Vanora! I wouldn't be stupid enough not to come say my good byes to you." Vanora glared hard at the younger woman before nearly strangling Ailith in a hug.

"You come back, ya hear? I couldn't stand to lose ya, love." The red haired woman said affectionately, releasing Ailith and patting her cheek. The grey eyed Healer smiled and nodded.

"I'll be back." She promised before heading back to her room.

After washing in the bath house Ailith went up to her room for the third time that day. Though, now that she was clean and dressed in fresh clothes it didn't bother her much. Up in the knight's hall, as Ailith had started calling it, every door was open. She walked by and saw most of the men sitting on their beds, packing their belongings into sacks that would stay on their horses. Ailith had a similar one that she had already packed long ago with extra clothing that she'd need in case of a mission like this. Ailith went to Lancelot's room and knocked on the door.

"Hey." She said quietly, leaning against the door frame. Dark eyes glanced up from the messy trunk and the dark orbs instantly warmed.

"Hey there, tiny." It was becoming a common thing for the knights to call Ailith tiny. Guess it was their pet name for her. Better than Wolf.

"So, I spoke to Bega about me going. She'll be staying with Tate and the others." She paused before moving into the slightly dark room. Lancelot had the curtains draw, keeping the light out. Ailith walked across the room and pulled the clothes back, wincing when sunlight hit her eyes. "Eadric was a little annoyed that I have to go with you all but we sorted that out." She continued, sitting down on her brother's bed.

"And what about Vanora?" She could see the smirk on his face even if Ailith couldn't see the man's face.

"She was a bit emotional but I don't mind." Ailith stopped for a moment, playing with the hem of her dress sleeve. "You know, I've never had many friends back when I was younger." The knight snorted and sent a look over his shoulder at Ailith.

"You ignored all of the other kids. The only people you'd actually pay attention to were me and that one kid. What was his name?" Ailith rolled her eyes and messed up his hair a little. "Hey!"

"His name was Cada and I would have ignored him too if he didn't have his odd infatuation with me." She answered, falling back on Lancelot's bed. Without the smell of alcohol on him, her brother smelt like home. The scent of the valley their tribe loved so much. "So, back to what I was saying. It's weird having so many people to talk to now. And I love all you knights like family. It feels weird knowing that if I were to leave this place behind I'd be leaving behind so much." Lancelot turned to her, one eyebrow raised.

"All of us?" There was a teasing note to his voice and immediately Ailith blushed slightly. He was probably ignoring the last bit she said to.

"Yes all of you!" She grinned, pushing the man's shoulder. He chuckled and pushed her back gently.

"Go pack, tiny. You're going to want the extra time." Taking the advice, Ailith stood, leaning down to kiss her brother's head before sliding out from the room.

"It's good to see you and Lancelot being closer now." A voice said from behind her, making Ailith jump nearly a foot in the air.

"Good gods! Dagonet you scared me!" Ailith could hear Lancelot laughing from inside his room while the large man now in front of her just smiled. Ailith placed a hand over her heart and sighed heavily. "I really have to stay paying attention more."

"It's payback for all those years of you sneaking up on everyone else." Lancelot called from his room, making Ailith smirk. Maybe she'd have to go back to being the sneaky girl she used to be. Dagonet shook his head on continued on to his room, which was right beside Ailith's.

* * *

><p>The next morning Ailith found herself waking before the sun had risen. The dark haired woman groaned and sat up, feeling the quilt fall into a pile on her lap. <em>I hate this internal wake up call<em>, the woman thought as she got out from the bed. By now she had a large pelt laid out on the floor under her bed so that she didn't have the cold shock every morning. The soft fur felt nice under her feet as Ailith moved over to her table. She changed out of her nightgown and into her normal mission clothing. And she had decided to keep the leather vest on because it kept her large shirt out of her way.

Next she put on her boots and instead of the normal braid she put her hair in, Ailith took the time to plait only small sections of her dark hair. It felt more like the way her mother had kept her hair when she would sit with Ailith before bed. She plaited some hair from the sides and tied them at the back with more plaits in the under layer. One plait fell over her shoulder while the rest stayed where it was meant to.

Ailith left her room with her bag, bedroll and cloak all in her arms. She knew that closer to the shore it might get colder at night, so she wanted to be prepared. When she reached the stables only Jols was up that she could see.

"Morning, Jols." Ailith called from the doorway. The small man smiled at her before going to the back. When he came back he had a sword and bow ready.

"For you." He said before taking them over to Ewell's stall. Already there was a quiver there and the same things were set out for the knights. Only their weapons were customized for them. Ailith glanced longingly at the expertly made weapons before going to her stallion's stall. The black and white animal whinnied at his rider's entrance before settling and munching on the hay in his stall.

"Silly boy." Ailith laughed, patting the horse's neck before grabbing his brush and going over his course coat. "So are you ready for this?" The woman said quietly, scratching the horse behind his one ear. Ewell snorted and threw his head up, staring at his rider. Ailith laughed before shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah. Talking to a horse again." She shook her head once more before setting a blanket over the large creatures back.

"Good morning, Ailith." Grey eyes turned to see Arthur watching her from the other sit of the stall. She smiled slightly, still not completely used to the Roman commander.

"Morning, Arthur." He nodded before going into the stall beside Ewell's where his very light grey horse was. Manius was a very good natured horse. He didn't get startled easily but also didn't give trust away freely. The only other horse like that was probably Bors black horse, Brun. Then you had Galahad's trusty steed that tended to throw fits every now and again. The grey dappled horse was named Denholm and his sister, who looked nearly the same, was named Boda. Boda was Gawain's horse and was much calmer than Denholm and the only way to tell the two apart was the dark tuff of hair that sat on Boda's forehead and her darker grey dapples were across her neck only. Erec's mare, Fleta who was a very friendly horse with a chestnut coloured coat and finally Percival's mare, Ceola, with her bad temper and grey fur.

All the knights had a very good relationship with their horses, but that was probably why the Sarmatians were called the horse people. Ailith patted Ewell's side before putting the new saddle she had had made onto the blanket. The saddle wasn't of Roman make but was actually a mixture of British and Sarmatian design. It was much more comfortable for both horse and rider. Next Ailith attached her weapons onto the saddle, making sure that nothing would hinder or harm Ewell before packing her bedroll and sack onto the saddle.

"Alright boy. I'm ready, how about you?" Ewell snorted once before tapping his hoof against the floor. Ailith nodded and slide the reins onto the horse's face before leading him out.

"Ready already, tiny?" Bors asked, coming into the stable with a surprised look. "Maybe we shouldn't have sent you on those scouting missions with Tristan. You're becoming more like him." The dark haired woman blinked before shaking her head and letting Jols look over what she had done. It was something that the small man did all the time. Before any missions he'd check to make sure she had done everything correctly and wouldn't fall off later. He nodded once before moving on to start mucking the stalls.

"Morning Ailith." Gawain yawned, walking in and waving to those there already. And just then Ailith realized that there was only one other horse ready and he was already outside and waiting.

"Ailith, I'd like you to continue helping Tristan with scouting for now. According to him you've been doing a good job." Arthur said from behind Ailith. She nodded to the commander and turned back to the doorway. What she found made her heart start thumping hard. Tristan was standing there, hands resting softly on Cadmon and he was whispering soft words to the mount. His hair was chaotic and his plaits seemed to have been rushed but his bangs had been pushed to the side so Ailith could see the warm glow in those dark eyes. Inwardly she trapped the image in her mind, storing it to memory for reasons unknown to her. What was it about that knight that made Ailith feel like this? It was really starting to frustrate her.

* * *

><p>They had made good time, getting a few more hours in before camping at the end of the day. But those few extra hours took more out of Ailith then she had thought. She took the saddle off of Ewell before dropping to the ground with a soft <em>thud<em>. There had only been a few thoughts going through her head all day and it was always about stupid Tristan! It also didn't help that she was nearly always with the stoic scout. Whether it was during their short breaks, he'd come and sit beside her or when they were riding he'd find a way to keep her within his sights. And all she wanted to do now was sleep until morning she that she could continue their long trip.

If she had to think about that man once more she'd throw something. So, Ailith stood up and trudged over to the small fire the knights had already started. Bors was in the process of making it larger so that all of them could sit around it while eating. They'd packed much more this time but were still careful not to empty their storage. Nothing good would come from running out of food so early.

The dark haired woman sat down across from Bors, warming her hands against the fire. It had gotten chilly once the sun set, even if they never saw the bright orb anyways. A weight came down next to her and Ailith instantly tensed, looking over only to sigh in relief. It was only Gawain. The fair haired knight gave her an odd look before leaning against her shoulder.

"Tired?" She asked, moving one of her hands to slowly comb through Gawain's golden mess. He nodded, his head resting against her cheek while Ailith fiddled with the braids he had put in long ago.

"No sleeping until you gets some in ya." Bors demanded, glaring half-heartedly across to the younger knight. Bors was probably the oldest of them all while Galahad was the youngest. All the knights' ages ranged from forty to twenty, which made both Ailith and Galahad, feel extremely young. Said young man plopped down on the dark haired woman's other side, cursing at the already cold ground.

"Yeah, yeah." Gawain grumbled from crease of Ailith's neck. This would make any other woman uncomfortable, but Ailith? No. Gawain was more like her brother than her actual blood brother. He was always there, always showing signs of affection and this was just another one of those times. Then you also take into count that Ailith had worked as a slave for a good part of her life. Most things like this didn't bother her.

"Ailith, I think tonight we might have to use you as a pillow." Galahad said jokingly, leaning himself against her other side. The grey eyed Healer chuckled softly and nudged her friend with her shoulder.

"I'll be sleeping in my own bedroll tonight for your information, Gal." She replied, still running her fingers through Gawain's hair. The spot Ailith had been interested in was now soft and smooth. "Jeez, Gawain. I might have to take a brush to your hair." He snorted and sat up slowly.

"Gods I'm tired." He yawned once before rummaging around in his sack that he had brought with him, pulling out a loaf of bread. He passed it to Ailith and watched her nimble fingers break the bread into three good chunks before handing one piece to both men and nibbling the last.

"I still don't see how you don't eat much." Percival said, leaning against a nearby tree trunk. Him and Erec rarely joined their camp fire conversations and mostly just stuck close to each other, much like Bors and Dagonet did. Actually, now that Ailith looked about their group she realized something. Nearly each knight had a partner. Someone that complemented their personality and fought well with them. Bors had Dagonet who calmed his rowdy personality. Lancelot had Arthur, the kind and caring one always bringing different views into Ailith's brother's thoughts. Without Arthur, Lancelot would have been a one track minded slave, only working towards his freedom. Galahad had Gawain and their bit was easily enough to understand. And then Erec had Percival who forced the other into conversations and constantly lightened his dark mood. So where did that leave Tristan?

Ailith glanced over at Dagonet who was mindlessly poking at the fire. "Dagonet, I have a question for you." The woman spoke softly and stood from her two friends. They watched as she moved around the fire and sat down beside the giant of a man. Once she was settled he nodded to her, ready to try and answer her. "Alright well, I was wondering… Has Tristan ever been close to any of the other knights?" The man seemed surprised at her quiet question. Her grey eyes flickered to the stoic man sitting with Arthur, explaining what they had seen on their last scouting.

"The only person Tristan has ever been close to would have had to be his brother." Dagonet answered, equally as quiet. He seemed to know that she didn't want any of the others overhearing their conversation. It was something between the two of them.

"What happened to him?" The scarred man winced, and immediately Ailith knew the answer wasn't a good one.

"He died on one of our long term missions. Brunor was shot multiple times in the back by Woads and we had no Healer to help. He bled to death hours after the attack and that brought our numbers down to fifteen." Ailith could tell it was hard answering these questions but she kind of wanted to know more about the scout without actually having to speak with him.

"And he's never been close to anyone since?"

"Even when Brunor was around Tristan was like this. But back then he was more social. He liked talking with us and drinking until late at night. Now he spends all his time with his animals, alone or with you." The dark haired woman gave the giant a sharp look which got a chuckle from the man. "Ailith, I saw you looking at all of us before you asked this. I know what you must have been thinking." Dagonet paused for a moment to throw more wood into the fire. "You're his partner. Everyone has seen it and realize how much he likes your company." Before she could reply the giant shook his head and patted Ailith's shoulder. "If he didn't like you company he would not be having Arthur sending you on more missions with him. He wouldn't let you care for Cadmon and the fact that you two work so well together during training."

"We don't do well during training." Ailith said with a frown. She'd avoided training with Tristan since the first time. She wouldn't make a fool out of herself again.

"That's only because you're afraid of a challenge." Before the woman could retort, Dagonet smiled gently and nudged her shoulder. "Go back over with Gawain and Galahad. They both look like they'll fall over soon." And with a sigh and one last look over to Tristan, Ailith did as she was told and stuck herself between the two youngest knights, being a pillow for both.

* * *

><p>Nothing eventful happened for the rest of the trip. They reached the village and were given lodging and told to wait. The waiting part annoyed Ailith and many of the knights. They were all used to just getting to work right away. But at least for Ailith and Dagonet they had some work. They went to the villagers and helped the Healers already there with the ill and injured. It seemed like a never ending thing and by the end of the second day you could poke Ailith and she'd fall over.<p>

"Why don't you go and get some sleep." Dagonet said quietly from beside the woman as they worked tirelessly over a young girl who had been cut on the leg. The wound now had an infection spreading through it and the girl was running a fever.

"After this one." Ailith said stubbornly, shaking her head before wiping the sweat from her face. The room they were in felt like the inside of a fire. And being inside with so many wounded and ill people with their heavy breathing and moaning were slowly getting under the woman's skin.

"Fine, but could you go open the windows?" She nodded and quickly did her task. The fresh, night air felt amazing on her skin and immediately she felt drowsy.

"You knew that was going to happen." Ailith accused, pointing a finger at her company. The man smiled before turning back to their patient. Sadly, the grey eyed Healer patted Dagonet's shoulder before going to leave. There was barely any movement outside the sick room and the cool air felt so much better. She went to stretch but thought better of it when she heard footsteps.

"I can hear you Tristan." She said calmly, turning and glancing at the frowning scout. So he had been trying to sneak up on her. No way was she going to let that happen in an unfamiliar town. In the forest it was different. She always let her guard down just because of the freedom she felt within the cover of trees. Like nothing from her past could find her. But here, where she knew no one and anyone could try and kill her. She's rather kept on her toes.

"You knew." Was his reply and to Ailith it almost sounded as if he was pouting. She grinned at the thought before starting to walk towards the inn.

"Are you coming? We're all going to need rest if those raiders come." She called over her shoulder, listening to the slow steps towards her. With a nod, she continued into the building and quickly found her room. Turning, Ailith smiled at Tristan who had stayed close behind her the entire time. "Well, good night." She said quietly, knowing that most of the men would wake at the smallest noise.

Just as the grey eyed Healer went to turn, a hand caught her own, tugging her back. Ailith frowned for a moment before turning back to Tristan who was quietly observing the crescent moon on her wrist. His other hand came up and ghosted over the marking. Ailith breath caught as she watched, fascinated by this strange man. Slowly, he leaned his head down and her hand up, kissing the mark before dropping her hand and quickly leaving.

All the woman could do was stand their in complete shock, her wrist burning with pleasure. Slowly she moved back into her room, falling onto her bed with a large grin.

Nothing really happened until their fifth night at the coastal village. But during the evening of that day an attack happened. Woads came from the forest and quickly sought the knights out. Like all of this had been planned. Ailith had raced out from the sick house, sword in hand bow and quiver on her back. Her eyes went wide from the seer amount of Woads rushing through the village. She called herself before raising her arms and slashing down at the first Woad in her path.

She finally came across a Woad woman wielding a bow and two daggers. The woman was fast on her feet but Ailith had the advantage. Her sword was long and she kept the woman at a distance. The Woad tried everything to get between the end of Ailith's sword and the woman herself but Ailith was having none of that. Whenever she got to close, the dark haired woman would slash across, narrowly missing the other's stomach before dancing back and continuing their fight. The woman screamed something in her native language before hurtling one of the daggers in her hand at Ailith. The dagger imbedded itself deep into her thigh, tearing a small scream from the target.

Ailith glared up at the Woad woman, forgetting her wall of indifference before limping back slightly, watching the other follow each step. A hiss went through Ailith's throat directed at the woman, something she hadn't done in a long time. The pain seemed to fade before Ailith felt control of her body slip. She watched, as if not in her own body anymore, as her hand gripped the hilt of the dagger and yanked it out of her limb. The Woad stared in shock before dodging the incoming blade. And just as the Woad caught her balance Ailith's sword came down across her front.

A scream of retreat went through the Woad invaders and immediately the diminished group of men and woman ran. Heading back into the forest probably. But Ailith didn't care about that. She only cared about getting control of her body before any harm could be done against the knights. She struggled with the inner demon, demanding it go back into its place until needed. It had gotten it's blood. Just as she got control over herself once more Erec found her.

"Gods, tiny! What happened?" He shouted in alarm, catching the woman before she sunk to the blood covered ground. The woman she had struck down was lying dead in front of her, Ailith's face covered in her and her comrade's blood.

"Hit with a dagger." Erec nodded before moving her arm over his shoulder and helping her limp back to where Dagonet was probably to be.

"It's going to need stitches." The giant man finally declared, shifting back from his young friend. Ailith's jaw clenched as she nodded in agreement. She could feel the burning pain the dagger had caused but also the inner flames that licked at her mind. It was never a good thing to let the Wolf out during any time. It caused great pain for Ailith and normally for those around her. And if Erec had seen the feral expression on her face just moments before he found her, he'd more than definitely be suspicious of her.

"Just do it, Dagonet." The dark haired woman ground out. The others glanced at her worriedly, all there to comfort her. But it wasn't like she had never gotten hurt before. This had been a common thing for her. But then again, none of the knights knew that. Ailith never spoke of her time as a slave. What she did in those seven years was still locked up inside her.

Dagonet nodded slowly before pulling out his threads and needles from the Healer box Ailith always carried with her on these missions. The needle was cleaned and then even more pain entered Ailith. She sucked in a breath through her teeth and gripped tightly on the bench she was sitting on. She'd suffer in silence. But a hand gripped over top of her own and before she could stop it, Ailith had flipped her hand and clenched just as tightly as before on this persons hand. It was probably Gawain or Lancelot.

"There." Ailith blinked through the haze of pain and started down at her cut up trousers. There was a bandage over the stitched wound but when Ailith moved her leg she could feel the stitches pulling slightly. Then she turned beside her and nearly fainted right then. Tristan was sitting beside her. It was his hand that she had nearly bruised to keep herself distracted. A pink ting went over her cheeks before she took her hand back and nodded her thanks to the stoic scout. She felt him get up but knew he had just moved in with the rest of the other knights surrounding her. Why was this happening to her? Dagonet helped her stand but passed her over easily to Lancelot.

"Take her back to her room Lance." He said to Ailith's brother then turned to her. "You're not allowed to come out unless you have one of us helping you." He ordered before turning and heading back to the sick room.

"Looks like no more fighting for you, tiny." Bors laughed, patting her shoulder before going off on his own. The others gave her sympathetic smiled, promising to come see her before they all fanned out through the village.

"Come on, Ailith. Let's get you to your room."

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><p><strong>All these wonderful character belong to the makes of King Arthur, except of course for Ailith!<strong>

**Thanks for the reviews guys! If you have any questions I'll be happy to answer as long as it doesn't give anything away ;)**

**And sorry for the time it took to get this chapter up. I was trying to make up for Chapter Nine. It was terrible, I know. But thanks for still reading! Love ya!**


	12. Chapter Eleven

"I can't stand this!" Ailith growled to the empty room before she threw off the thick quilt covering her. She threw her legs over the side of her bed only to wince when she happened to pull on the stitches in her leg. "Goddess, kill me if I ever make that mistake again." The dark haired woman growled, pushing herself up and off the bed. It had never felt better to stand on her own two feet and Ailith would _never_ take that for granted again. She stretched her arms up high above her head, careful not to move her legs. She really hoped that her leg healed fast or she would be in for a very long ride back to Castellum.

"What are you doing out of bed?" A soft voice asked, but Ailith had slowly started to learn not to jump at every new voice behind her. Especially when her door was open. Ailith turned and set a glare on Tristan, watching as his calm face turned into a smirk. The dark haired woman glowered more, crossing her arms across her chest. She was still only clad in her nightgown, but the material was thick and definitely not see through.

"I'm stretching. I've been stuck in that damn bed for two days and I refuse to stay there a second longer." She said determinedly, watching the amusement in the scout's eyes. She'd love to wipe his stupid smirk off his face but for now, she'd let him have his way.

"If any of the others see this they'll strap you to the bed." Faintly Ailith laughed and shook her head.

"They'd have fun trying." Tristan's smirk melted away as he shook his head. "Why are you here anyways?" She asked with a frown now set on her features. Normally he stayed away from her when they were in places like this. He only really showed a little interest when they were traveling.

Tristan shrugged and straightened. He nodded once to Ailith before leaving. The woman gave a frustrated sigh before limping over to the window. She pulled back the fabric keeping the sun out and smiled as the heat warmed her face. Like she had said, she hadn't been anywhere but this room since being injured. She'd comply with staying in her room, but she needed to see the sky, hear the wind. She was Sarmatian, born to nature and she loved everything in it. Perhaps someday she'd go back to Sarmatia, start her life over and forget everything that had happened to her. But, she guessed that all depended on everyone else. She would refuse to go home without the others. She would probably become depressed very quickly without everyone. Her brothers and sisters that had gone through so much. No, there was no chance of returning alone. Ailith really didn't care if it was only Tristan she'd be returning with. She needed some sort of connection to everyone here.

Or, perhaps she'd just stay in Britain. It would never be her home but it was a start. She'd stay with Bors and Vanora if she had to. They probably wouldn't mind an extra set of hands to help with the little ones. Or perhaps Ailith would find a way to get her revenge of the Romans who took her from her home in the first place. If she had never been taken she would have continued life as a Healer and maybe become the first female warrior in the tribe. But then again she never would have found her brother and met all the other knights.

"Gods, is this what happens to be when I'm bored?" Grey eyes narrowed on the wall across from her, hoping with all her might that something interesting would pop up on it.

"What happens when you're bored?" Galahad asked, coming into the room without knocking. Since it was the second day of her being stuck in her room, no one ever knocked any more. Ailith sighed heavily and limped over to her bed. She flopped down on it; her arms sprawled out at her sides.

"I start thinking about the future. It really sucks because I have so many things I could do with my life but no idea which to go for." She replied, closing her eyes. Ailith felt the young man sit down by her side, crossing his legs on the bed. "I hope your shoes are off, Gal." With a chuckle she felt his shift, probably doing exactly what she thought he'd do.

"Tell me about all these things you could do." He said then, lying back so that his head was on her arm and all of his legs were hanging off the bed. Ailith sighed and turned towards Galahad, using her arm as a pillow as well.

"Well, I could go back to Sarmatia with whoever else is going back. I'd more than likely stick to that person like honey though. I wouldn't dare go back to my own tribe." Ailith paused for a moment, the image of her parent's graves in her mind. A shiver went through her and she shook her head. "Definitely not. But I could also stay here, live with Bors and help Vanora with the kids or become an awesome Healer that everyone wants in their town. And then there is my final option. I could go to Rome and find the bastards who took me and the others from our tribes and get revenge. Though, I've never really been a big revenge person." Actually, now that she thought about it, she wouldn't mind getting revenge on one or two of her former masters.

"Well, actually, you have a forth option." Galahad started a teasing grin on his face. When the dark haired woman frowned in confusion he sighed and rolled his eyes. "You could go off with a certain scout." The man wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Ailith mad a sour face before sitting up and crossing her arms over her chest, a pout on her face.

"I don't like him! Why does everyone keep saying it?" She demanded, her frown deepening. Galahad sighed and grabbed the woman's shoulders. She yelped softly, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Ailith, even if you and Tristan can't see it the rest of us can. You two are polar opposites yet you'd probably be the most deadly pair if you both actually opened up to one another. You know, instead of going behind each other's backs to find out information on the other." She frowned, her cheeks slightly pink. So guess Galahad had heard Dagonet and Ailith talking the other night. "Though, none of us has been able to give much information about you."

"I'll tell my story when the time is right." Ailith murmured softly, her eyes dropping from Galahad's. The man sighed and removed his hands.

"You know, you can trust us, Ailith. No matter what we're all going to be here for you." The dark haired woman nodded stiffly before roughly pushing him from the room. "You're part of the family now." Ailith shook her head, smiling slightly.

"Alright, enough mushy talk. Get, go!" She said hastily before closing the door.

The village was attacked again the next day which gave Ailith the freedom to leave her room and help Dagonet with the injured. Though, the knight wasn't pleased with her choice but if the woman spent another day in that stuffy room she'd start cutting throats. She told Dagonet so, and the serious look on her face was probably what convinced him that she was serious.

"You're more like us then I'd like to admit, tiny Healer." Dagonet said, constantly glancing over at the woman with worried eyes.

"Dagonet, keep your eyes ahead or I'll have to take over fully." She warned, not once looking up from the elderly man she was tending to. Many of the villagers had been attacked but very few had been heavily wounded. Like the raiders didn't want to hurt these people really. Like they were –

Ailith's head snapped up, her hand reaching for the dagger hidden in her boots. "Ailith?" The woman cast a haunted look to her giant friend before shaking her head.

"Dagonet, what are the chances that these attacks were made to draw attention from you knights?" She said slowly and suddenly a sharp pain went through her head. "Ow!" Dagonet jumped up, his hands removing Ailith's from her face and what he saw there made his eyes widen. A line of black had formed just under Ailith's eye. Just a simple horizontal line under the grey orbs. It was the same faint colour that seemed to blend into her skin but still looked unnatural.

"Stop fussing over me! We have to be ready for anything." Grey eyes stared into his brown and Dagonet saw the seriousness in those orbs. He nodded before standing and giving her one more glance before leaving the sick room to find Arthur.

"You are a witch." Ailith's head snapped around, staring at an injured villager who simply stared back with wide, frightened eyes. Her skin was deathly pain, her brown hair hanging dully around her face. The grey eyed Healer shook her head and smiled softly.

"So, I am no witch. I am a Healer." The woman's stare hardened, her mouth twisting into a hard sneer.

"I have never seen a Healer with marking like yours. Nor have I ever seen anyone with such a dark past." Ailith's eyes narrowed now. She had never spoken about her past in the sick room. So why was this villager claiming to know? "I see much. Gifted with sight from God." Ailith scoffed and stood, grinding her teeth against the wave of dizziness that passed over her.

"I am no witch." She hissed, her eyes darkening to nearly black. "I have lived through more than you pathetic Britons will ever know. I will continue living through it while you all go on with your days like the cowardly people your race has turned out to be." With that, Ailith turned on her heal and stormed from the room. She didn't need the accusations of some stupid woman who knew nothing about the world outside her puny village. It made Ailith angry to think about how sheltered these people's lives really were. None of them saw the death that she and the knights had seen. They rely on Rome to care for them. If Ailith had been back in Sarmatia, her tribe would have fought for itself, leaving no question on asking for help. It went against any honor they had and the fact that so many of them could have protected their people also helped.

So why didn't these silly Britons just ask to be taught how to fight? It would solve so many problems. There would be no attacks from Woads and they could easily defend themselves against raiders. It made no sense. The dark haired woman went to the stable, saddling Ewell and letting the noble beast take her where he wanted. There was a strain on her leg, but Ailith knew the stitches wouldn't tear. She had tested them the other day during her boredom.

Ewell ended up taking his mistress out from the village and onto the beach just a bit away. Ailith dismounted, her boots making squishy sounds in the wet sand. Taking the horse's reins, the Healer let the animal down to the water where they stood for a long time, just looking out at the sea.

"Do you still feel it, Ewell?" The dark haired woman murmured, her hand pressed against the black fur on the horse's neck. "The pull of a homeland across the sea. I don't feel it any more though. I will always be Sarmatian, always be claimed by the land so far away. But I don't think that I will ever get back to it. Mama and Pa have passed; they are in the hands of the Goddess now. I have a younger sister to care for and an elder brother who I desperately want to know." Ailith took a small breath, smelling the salt in the air. "I also have eight new brothers who I wish I could keep out of trouble. I have new friends but if I get any closer to the knights I'll crack." Ewell gave a soft whinny, tossing her mane back and forth. Ailith smiled and patted the horse's neck before turning them and leading back to the village.

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><p>Talking to the horse had calmed her once again so the dark haired woman went back to the sick room, ignoring the stupid woman and her accusing eyes. Ailith worked well into the night, not resting once as she worked her way around the room, tending to the patients before going around the room again. Whenever she reached the brown haired woman she'd put up her indifferent front and work as swiftly as she could and leaving the woman to herself before working on some of the more friendly villagers. Dagonet came to relieve her once he realized that she had been working the entire time. He had to threaten her to call for Lancelot of Gawain to come drag her back to her room before she finally left with a huff. Of course though, she warned the gentle giant about the woman from before, telling him about what had happened and then she went back to the inn.<p>

Some of the knights were in the dining hall of the inn, keeping to a far corner. The group mostly only consisted of Bors, Erec, Percival, and Lancelot and each one seemed to have had a bit too much to drink. With a sigh Ailith went over to them, hands on her hips and a stern glare.

"What do you think you lot are doing?" All the men looked up at her innocently, holding their ale mugs close to their chests.

"But Ailly! We haven't 'ad any ale in a 'hile!" Erec complained, giving her the best puppy eye look he could muster. But the woman wasn't buying it. She turned to Bors and crossed her arms.

"I'm positive Van will skin you if she found out that you were drinking on the job." Instantly the man paled and put down his mug. Ailith then turned to Erec. "You are willing to go into a battle with a migraine and deal with the clanging of swords and yelling men?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. Hesitantly the smallest man put the mug back onto the table in front of him. Next it was Percival's turn. But the man just stared at Ailith with big eyes and a cheeky smile. She knew that this man wasn't nearly as drunk as she thought. So her eyes passed over him and on to her brother. "Would you like to explain to Arthur what you were doing while here? Or should I?"

"Fine, fine!" The dark knight frowned, his mug on the table now and his arms crossed over his chest. "You spoil all the fun." He pouted, glaring childishly up at his younger sister. Ailith just chuckled and took all four mugs in her hands and took them back to the kitchen.

"No more drinks for the knights. They've lost their privilege." The man in charge gave her gruff look before nodding and taking the mugs from her. Ailith went back to the dining area to find the knights standing and waiting for her. "Alright, off to bed you four." They nodded and followed behind her as she went down to her room.

By the seventh day there were no more attacks and Ailith had guessed that her fear had been wrongly placed. Though, as we packed to leave the woman's eyes always flickered around the area. She had a bone chilling need to flee from the small village and get as much distance as she could in. Everything felt wrong. The sea was to dark, the clouds moved to fast, the wind was much too harsh. A calloused hand clamped down on Ailith's shoulder, making her jump slightly. She turned her head slightly, silently greeting Galahad who had a worried expression on his face.

"Are you alright? You look worried." The young knight questioned, bringing his dappled horse up beside Ewell. Ailith shook her head and frowned at the feeling. She turned her head to Gal before smiling tightly.

"Yeah, I just have an uneasy feeling. That's all." She admitted, her dark grey eyes flashing about every so often. But she also noticed that his eyes were drawn to the new mark on her face, curious as to how she got it. The other knights had the same reactions. They were curious but didn't want to ask how she got the black line. And Ailith appreciated it, with all the crazy stuff going on she felt that she still had some secrets protecting her.

"May God have mercy on you, witch." Ailith froze for a moment before her sword was out and the tip at the throat of the obnoxious woman who Ailith had tried to care for. She had refused to let her work on her once Dagonet was there and the entire time he was with her she'd spew nonsense about Ailith being sent to them by the devil and that she was the one who probably told the Woads to attack the village. It was trying Ailith's last nerve.

"Wow there Ail. No need to kill." Galahad said uneasily, his hand on the dark haired woman's wrist. They were drawing attention from both the knights and villagers now.

"I _dare_ you to call me a witch once more." Just as the woman went to open her mouth, Ailith rested the point of her blade to the flesh at the hollow of her neck. "But we warned; say anything and this sword will go through your neck faster than you can blink." Ailith growled, her nearly black eyes hollow and a snarl ready to leap to her lips. The woman looked to Arthur who was now standing just a bit away from them.

"I'd lock her up if I were you." The snarl tore out from the dark haired woman's throat and her arm tensed under Galahads. The young man instantly restrained her, gripping her wrist and wrapping his arm around her waist. Ailith twisted and growled at the woman, snapping her teeth and the hollow look to her eyes seemed to intensify. The woman actually looked frightened as she backed up and watched Gawain take the woman and Galahad takes her sword from her hands.

"Easy there, Ailith. Easy." The fair haired knight soothed, pressing his friend to his chest and wrapping his arms about her waist and flailing arms. But when she didn't calm he gave a glance to Tristan who nodded. Quick as lightning, he jabbed the blunt end of his dagger into the woman's head, knocking her unconscious. Her body slumped into Gawain's arms as he pulled her closer to himself.

The knights all stared at Ailith with a mixture of worry and slight fear. There had been no warning before she had suddenly dropped any human nature and tried to attack. If Galahad hadn't been beside her at that moment she probably would have killed the pale woman in a matter of seconds.

"I think we should go now." Arthur said quietly, mounting Manius and giving a nod to Tristan. The scout sent one look to the Healer before mounting his own horse and going ahead.

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><p>Ailith didn't wake until they had actually reached Castellum again. And without a second thought Lancelot took his sister and went right to Tate. Someone he knew Ailith trusted with her life and loved as a grandfather. He knocked on the door awkwardly, using his foot mostly. Behind him now were Gawain and Dagonet, both worried for their close friend. The door was opened by a young man probably the same age as Galahad with sandy brown hair and stunning green eyes. The man took one look at the still form in Lancelot's arms before ushering them into the house.<p>

"Tate! I'm going to need your help!" The man called, and Lancelot recognized the name. An aging man with messy graying hair and blue eyes walked into the main room, confused to why he was being called. When he saw Ailith, his eyes became downcast.

"You know what's wrong." Dagonet stated, watching the old Healer as he guided the group to a small room in the back of the house. Tate nodded and motioned for Lancelot to lay his former student on the cot.

"Yes, I do." His voice spoke volumes of the wisdom he had. Without sparing another glance at the knights, Tate beaconed for the younger man. "Eadric, go get Sigga for me and find some of the mint from my stores." The man nodded and raced off, ignoring the looks the other men gave him.

"Then what is wrong with her? She's been like this for three days!" Lancelot demanded, clenching his fists at his sides. Tate looked up with warm yet weary eyes.

"That is for her to tell you. I am simply to bring her back and cast the Wolf out." Dagonet frowned, completely lost as to what the other Healer was saying. But he also had to comfort his comrade who was silently raging inside now. The giant clapped a hand to Lancelot's shoulder with a tight grip.

Eadric came back with an older woman following behind. She was tall and still had her curves from younger days, but her golden hair was streaked with white. A sound caught in her throat before she snatched the green herbs from Eadric's hand and going over to the group.

"Out of the way!" Her voice was light but powerful as she shoved past Lancelot and sat down next to the dark haired woman on the cot. "Oh, I wish this hadn't happened again!" Sigga exclaimed, her hands ripping up the mint smelling herb. Eadric placed a bowl under her hands and watched silently as the tiny bits fell into the wooden tableware. Tate nodded, his fingers tracing over the new line under Ailith's eye.

"She'd been marked again." His voice was soft as his finger shook. Sigga looked up and stared down at the girl.

"She's meant for greatness. Now if only she could work together with both sides of herself." She huffed, standing and racing out of the room.

"What is the mint for?" Dagonet asked, trying to watch all three people at once. He watched the Healers to try and understand even a little of the situation. But nothing was coming up and he also watched the younger man standing at the door, keeping a watchful eye over Ailith.

"The Wolf hates the scent and normally backs down when it starts throwing up." At Lancelot's disturbed look, the Healer chucked and shook his head. "That is what mint does. It's a way to settle upset stomachs. But if the herb is taken in raw it's cause the complete opposite effect." He explained, patting the knight's cheek. "You and she really do look alike." He muttered before turning and watching Sigga rush back into the room, bowl still in hand. But now the bowl held a bit of hot water. Just enough to soak all the bits of leaf. He sat down beside Ailith's head and tipped it forward, forcing the woman to take in the steamy contents of the bowl.

Everyone watched as Tate carefully got all the mixture into the woman and then took the bowl and passed it to Eadric.

"Alright. All we can do now is wait for her to wake up." Tate said as he stood and grabbed a basin from the other side of the room. He set it beside the bed where he knew it would be helpful.

They waited for quite some time before hearing any signs from inside the room. Dagonet had gone to report to Arthur on their Healer's condition and Lancelot sat still in the kitchen with two men. One of which was Eadric and the other had been introduced as Dax. Dax was a large man with a body close to Dagonet's. But he had a full head of black hair and brown eyes.

"Ailith's awake." Sigga called and all three stood quickly before moving into the other room. Sigga was removing the basin while Tate sat with a dark form on the bed. She was curled into herself, head resting against her tucked in knees and arms wrapped around her.

"Child, it's alright, you're safe now." Tate murmured to the woman, a gentle hand resting on her shoulder. A soft sob echoed through the room, snapping Lancelot out from whatever spell had made him stop and watch his sister cry. He walked over and gently rested his hand on her back.

"Don't do that!" Sigga snapped, grabbing his hand away from her back and forcing it onto Ailith's other shoulder. Lancelot glared at the woman before removing his hand and slinging his arm over her shoulders and pressing his sister against his chest. He waited patiently until two hands gripped at his leather armour.

"Hey there, tiny." He whispered, moving his hand up to stroke her tangled hair. "You gave us all quite a fright back there. You've been out for a few days." He quietly told her, resting his chin on top of her head. Her shoulders shook, but he knew there were no tears.

They all stayed like that for a while before Ailith pulled away, resting her forehead on the dark knights shoulder. Softly, she spoke and everyone had to strain to hear her. "It happened again, didn't it?"

"Yes it did. You haven't been doing as I asked all those years ago." Tate frowned at the woman, but also noted at how comfortable she seemed to be with Lancelot. "Though, it seems as though you've been rebuilding some broken bonds. So I can't be mad at you." Ailith's shoulders slumped and she nodded slowly. Lancelot pulled away from her slowly, laying his sister back into the cot.

"Get some sleep. I'll come back tomorrow and then you'll have some explaining to do." She nodded but caught his hand before she stood up completely.

"I'd rather explain with everyone." Her voice was a little rough and barely above a whisper but Lancelot still heard. He nodded leaned down, kissing her forehead before leaving.

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><p><strong>All these wonderful character belong to the makes of King Arthur, except of course for Ailith!<strong>

**Alright guys, I didn't get many reviews for chapter 10 so I decided that I'm going to make a bit of a schedule. I'll post every Tuesday and Thursday. It will all depend on the reviews. And if you find any spelling errors I'm REALLY sorry! I was in a bit of a rush to get this chapter out.**

**If you have any ideas that you'd like to throw at me for this story I'd be absolutely ecstatic to hear them and will probably use on.**

**But other than that! Are you glad that we're actually getting somewhere now? We're finally going to learn something new about Ailith! And her personality keeps showing a bit more every time.**

**Tell me what you think in a review! Or any tips on how to make it better. Thanks for the continued support! Love ya!**


	13. Chapter Twelve

When the next day came Ailith was already up and rushing out the door before the sun had even come up. She would try and avoid any and all human beings. And the only way to do that was to hit in a place that no one would guess on. So, minding her leg still, Ailith made her way out from the village and down a little gravel path that went around the villages walls and wrapped around to the back were a large field of swords lay. It was quite obvious as to what this place was. It was the grave of every Sarmatian knight who had died on Britain's land. Her grandfather was in this graveyard and it was the one place she'd try and find.

As she walked through the rows upon rows of graves she felt less and less. It was almost as if the dead were sucking anything she felt from her. But she knew that wasn't it. It had been a long time since anyone visited their resting place. Last time anyone went to this field was after Sir Kay died and that was a full year ago now. It would be difficult to find her grandfather's resting place. The only way the graves were identified was by a sword thrust into the earth above the buried.

Ailith managed to get to the very back of the field, still following the gravel pathway laid out. And surprisingly enough, after one glance around the graves closest to her, she felt a sense of recognising. At the far back was a mound with flowers growing around the sword. With a faint laugh, Ailith walked over to the sword sticking from the ground and realized that it was the exact same sword her grandfather had left with. Her mother's mother had described it to her, a proud look on her old face. Ailith could remember that day easily.

"_Ailith, dear. Come sit with your Nan for a moment." Little Ailith, with her long hair braided came running up to the elderly lady. She looked much different back then than she did now. Fair hair that was the same shade as Bega's but the same grey pools for eyes. The little girl came up beside her grandmother and sat down carefully. She didn't want to sit on any of the other children. _

"_What is it Nan?" The little eight years old asked, shifting her dress over her knees. Since she was with her grandmother she acted like the proper young lady she was supposed to be._

"_I have a story to tell you. Something I didn't even tell Lancelot." Ailith scooted closer to the elder, her wide grey eyes filled with curiosity and wonder. Mari laughed at the expression before resting her hands in her lap. "I wanted to tell you about your Grandpa." Mari looked down at her granddaughter once more, chuckling at the brightness in her grey orbs._

"_Your Grandpa was the greatest of us Alans. More talent than anyone else in the country. He fought proudly for this tribe and never regretted the blood shed he caused." Mari took a deep breath and smiled at the little girl on the floor, surrounded by other little ones. As an elder, Mari cared for the children of the tribe during the hunts or celebrations. "I think that was what drew me to him. I gathered all my courage and told him of my feelings. That was when I was fifteen. Your Grandpa was sixteen. A month later, when I found out that I was with child, the Romans came to take him. He promised to come back and care for his child like any father should. But he never came back." Ailith smiled sadly at her Nan, reaching up and gripping one of the women's wrinkled hands in her own tiny ones. She gave a reassuring smile before sitting back down, fixing the folds of her dress._

"_So Grandpa was a really kind even though he was the best?" Ailith asked, trying to understand the point of the story. Mari nodded and leaned down to the girl. _

"_Your Grandpa had the most unique sword that any Alan has even possessed. Should you ever go to Britain for some reason I'd love for you to find his sword and keep it with you." Ailith nodded eagerly, already picturing the blade in her mind. "The metal was always sharp and could cut into anything. The blade was cut at an odd angle near the top, so it had almost a slanted edge. And when the blade got closer to the hilt it curved only slightly. The hilt was made from the black stones in the mountains with iron decorations." Ailith nodded and smiled up at the woman._

"_Alright Nan. I won't forget." _

And she never did. The black looked exactly like her Nan had described it. Black and silver. The dark haired woman kneeled in front of the grave and breathed in deeply. She felt as though she needed to say something before taking something that had belonged to this man. She could get it fixed by the blacksmith and then she'd finally have a bit of home to herself. And a blade that wasn't of Roman making.

"Hello Grandpa, it's good to be finally meeting you." Ailith chuckled at herself, shaking her head before bowing it slightly. "Nan, actually, you'd remember as Mari, she was my Ma's Ma. She used to tell me a story about you. How you were the best Alan around and I guess you must have passed it down to me and Lancelot." She paused for a moment, feeling a warm wind rush by her. "Lancelot is my brother and your grandson. I'm sure you've found Nan by now and she's caught you up on everything but still. She told me once that your sword would be mine one day. The day I came to claim it." The dark haired woman lifted her head and gazed at the sword buried deep into the earth. "I've come to claim it now. I'll need it if I'm going to survive this. Survive giving up my past." The wind danced around her, welcoming arms wrapped around her in a loving way. With one quick nod, the woman stood and grabbed the sword. With one rough pull the blade was free and in the woman's hands.

Before going to the fortress hall Ailith made a stop at the smithy, carrying the dirt caked blade in her hands and a proud look in her eyes. She leaned against the wall inside the workshop and waited patiently until the man who was obviously the blacksmith was finished with his current customer. The hulking man turned his black eyes on her and paused for a moment. The customer paid the man before leaving.

"What can I do for you, little lady?" The blacksmith called, dropping his money into a large jar. Ailith came forward and held her grandfather's sword out for him to see.

"Can you bring it back to its former glory?" She asked, watching the man closely in case he tried to grab the weapon from her hands. The blacksmith observed the rust and dirt and dullness of the blade before glancing back up to its user.

"I can bring it back, but what can you do to pay me for it?" This was the question Ailith had been waiting for. She smirked and rested the unique blade down at the blacksmiths work area.

"Talk to Commander Arthur. He has yet to give me money for the work I've done for him and his knights." She gave one more look to the weapon before quickly leaving the smithy.

* * *

><p>All the knights were in the hall already, waiting for the last two. Ailith and Arthur. The dark haired woman sighed before slipping into the room and sitting as far from the others as she could. She might have found enough courage to say what she needed but that didn't mean she had to like it. Truthfully, she would have skipped this entire thing if she didn't know that these men deserved to know what had happened. Tate had given her a hard time about it the night before, saying how she was far too untrusting and cowardly.<p>

Ailith sighed again and glanced quickly around the room. The men seemed slightly unsettled around her, keeping their gazes forwards. Except for Lancelot and Tristan who both seemed to be observing her carefully. For Lancelot it would be easy to guess that he was simply worried about his sister but for Tristan, he was probably making sure she wouldn't snap again. Ailith glanced away from the dark eyes of both men and stared at the wooden table in front of her.

The door opened a moment later and Arthur walked in, his eyes were tired but he still nodded to everyone at the table. When his eyes landed on Ailith he smiled slightly before sitting down in his chair and clearing his throat.

"Ailith, if you'd like to start? Then we can figure out a plan of action." The commander said slowly, folding his arms on the table. The Healer grumbled something before straightening and looking once more around the table.

_Come on Ailith. No need to chicken out_, she thought quietly to herself, rubbing a hand over her face. Her hand dropped and the woman closed her eyes.

"It started when I was thirteen, a few months after we were first enslaved. Our master at the time was a very highly thought of and was pretty much allowed to do anything he wanted." The woman shuttered unconsciously, remembering the screams of the women in the other room, fighting off the Roman lord. "He'd take a woman from our group every night and the screams would ring through the entire estate. Many of us quickly got angry, we'd wait for the women to come back and each time we'd comfort them until they fell asleep. But when the bastard tried to take Abelena I had enough. They weren't going to take another one of us, use her and throw her back for us to fix. When the soldiers came to take my friend I jumped on him. Well let's just say he had a very long stay with their Physician." Ailith chuckled softly to herself, eyes still closed so that she could block out the knight's expressions. "The Roman threw me into the holding cells, thinking about a proper punishment for a heathen." A frown turned her face, but Ailith shook her head and continued. "The punishment turned out to be a fight for my life. He put me into a large ring with nothing but a heavy long sword. Being thirteen and told to kill or be killed is not something I would wish on anyone."

She opened her eyes and found that everyone in the room was staring at her. None held any expression, not even Bors who was the most emotional of the group. She chuckled and shook her head bitterly.

_They know how it would hurt you_, the little voice in her mind told her, pushing her to continue her story.

"So, when the Roman soldier came into the ring, wearing armour and holding a large sword, every ounce of fear fled me. It felt like I broke away from my body and was just dimly aware of what was happening. The Roman came at me and I just let my body move on its own. And when I came to I was covered in blood, a body lay at my feet and screams were filling my head." Ailith glanced down at her hands, still feeling the warmth there now. "Our master immediately sent us away, sending half of our group to some slave exchange. Our group was bought within the first two days because our new master wanted someone to entertain him. And unlike most Romans, he didn't get a kick out of raping women; he liked to watch his slaves fight. And this was how the Wolf was born." The dark haired woman touched her head, practically feeling the other presence inside of her.

"What is this Wolf?" Arthur asked eyes full of pain and sympathy. Ailith dropped her hand onto the table, staring at it hard.

"Wolf is my protection. My wall against pain and my peoples suffering." Arthur flinched against her words, almost as if they had been a knife threatening him. "They used my family against me; he threatened to torture each one if I didn't fight back. The Wolf is where I get my indifference in battle. I use it to my advantage so that I don't need to feel anything when fighting for my life."

"Then what was it that we saw the other day?" Erec asked, leaning back in his chair as he observed the Healer. She winced and started to rub circles on her wrist. They all glanced down at her hands and noticed the crescents decorating her skin.

"That was the full Wolf. My anger got the best of me and in my moment of weakness the Wolf took her chance and sprung. She is a separate person, the thoughts and feelings of a wild animal but the body of a woman." Finally she turned to Arthur, a grim expression on her face. "As long as I am in no great danger and control my emotions I am fine. She feels no need to protect us."

"What was it Tate was talking about yesterday? That you weren't doing as he asked." Ailith's eyes widened and she turned to him. Her fist clenched and her eyes hardened.

"He wants me to embrace her, join myself to her. He thinks that it will help."

"Will it?" Arthur asked, eyes narrowing slightly as he shifted in his chair. Ailith glanced at him before shrugging.

"I don't believe so. If anything it will make matters worse. Wolf is raw emotion, I am not. She lives on instinct alone while I think about everything." Ailith listed, frowning slightly, thinking about how she actually wanted to join herself with her other half at one point. Now that she knew what the consequences would be, she dreaded the thought.

Arthur nodded to her before standing. "The knights and I will discuss this new information and you will be told what we have decided." The woman stood and quickly left the room.

"Those Roman bastards!" Bors shouted after a few moments of silence. "She was just a kid and has had to be like that." He pounded his fists into the table, glaring down at the floor in the center of the table.

"Bors." Dagonet softly called, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. The smaller man looked at his partner and noted the anger burning behind his eyes. Bors glanced at each of the knights, seeing the same thing hidden in their faces.

"She shouldn't have had to go through that." Galahad growled with his head down.

"She's still going through it." Dagonet said quietly from his place, glancing at the chair their Healer had just been in. She had to spend every day controlling her feelings, trying not to let her other side win. He'd hate to see what would happen if she ever fought someone she hated.

"She must bare scars." Gawain suddenly said, straightening up in his chair. All the knights looked back at him in confusion. "When we were traveling with the Roman family she said some old wounds opened up. She refused to go see Dagonet. That's why she went to the river that night." Realization flickered across Tristan's face.

"She reacts faster than anyone I've ever seen if you touch her back." He said softly to the others, keeping his eyes forward. "She still doesn't trust me to see her back."

"So that's what that was about." Percival muttered, thinking back to their training. If Ailith had moved as she wanted to, Tristan would have actually found someone he couldn't defeat. Someone equal to him.

"Knights." Arthur called, catching the attention of his men. "Now that we know what's going on, what will our course of action be?" All the knights except for Tristan gave the man a strange look. "She is a danger."

"No more than we are." Erec said with a scowl. The man was being unfair. Each of them had something dark inside of them. Ailith's was even better then theirs. Wolf lived to protect herself, not kill. Were as all of their inner demons had been bred to kill in cold blood.

The other knights vocally agreed with their comrade, even Tristan nodded slowly. Arthur sighed and shrugged.

"Guess there is no helping it then. Things shall continue on as normal."

* * *

><p>Lancelot and Gawain found their Healer in the stables, brushing Aelred slowly and both could tell that she was in deep thought. Her dark eyebrows were nearly joined from frowning so much, and her hands worked on the dark horse's coat slowly. Gawain walked over slowly before opening the stall and putting a hand on the woman's shoulder.<p>

"How're you holding up?" He asked, feeling the dark haired woman tense under his touch. He moved his hand and frowned a bit.

"I'm fine. Just, not things I'd normally talk about. Coming here, the only people who were ever meant to know were Bega, Tate, Dax, Sigga and Eadric." She replied, her shoulders dropping before she turned to look at the two.

"Why is that?" Lancelot asked. It kind of irked him to think that these people knew his little sister better than he did. But guess that was the downfall of not being there for her for seven thirteen years. And he barely knew Bega any better. He was very thankful that his sisters had inherited their mother's fair mind.

"They were there when it happened." Was her simply reply. Lancelot sighed and leaned against the stall gate. Aelred looked over at him and snorted. It was good to know that the horse still remembered Ailith after so long. But then again, she had been hanging around the stables a lot. He glanced over at Gawain and his sister and smiled slightly. His brother had taken over his role in her life. He was the one she'd go to if she needed help.

"So, what's up with you and the Eadric kid anyways." Gawain asked, trying to lift the mood a little. The other two smiled and Ailith turned back to brushing Aelred.

"Well, he was the closest to my age and because there weren't any others around our age we just kind of bonded. We both took care of Bega and then we joined Dax who ended up being more of an uncle figure in our lives. Tate became my teacher and Sigga took over Nan's place. We're all family really. So Eadric is just being protective." Gawain whistled, his eyes a bit wide.

"You've got a big family there, tiny." The fair haired knight said. Ailith raised her eyebrow with a confused look. "You have those four, Bega, Lancelot and eight knights. And then you have to add Vanora and Marlow." Ailith thought for a moment before a large grin spread over her face.

"You're right Gawain. I guess I do have a lot of family now." The two knights laughed softly, glad to see the smile on her face. Gawain slung his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close.

"And you're never going to get rid of us." He told her, kissing her cheek and resting his chin on her head. "You can tell us anything you want, Ailith. We won't judge you at all." With a sigh, the woman leaned into the knight, a smile on her face.

In the next week nothing really happened. Though, there was the incident with Bors and Vanora. He had come to Ailith with a large gash on his head and told her that the red head chucked a jar at him and he didn't duck in time. But that was about it. Until the day after when a messenger cane running into the village, out of breath and desperately seeking Arthur.

Ailith went to the room and immediately sat down beside Lancelot. The messenger sat away from the round table, catching his breath while Jols fetched Arthur. The commander came in wearing his leather armour and his sword on his belt, Tristan not far behind.

"What is it?" The messenger stood and came forward, holding his head high but his breathing was still short and raspy.

"The coastal village… It was burnt to the ground a few hours after you left." He said slowly and immediately Ailith stood, her eyes wide. Galahad looked at the girl with a shocked expression.

"What? How?" The dark haired woman demanded, her eyes now narrowed in on the man. He turned and gave her an impassive look.

"Is it any of your business, woman?" Immediately most of the men stood up and glared at the Briton. He gave a started look and took a step back.

"Yes, it is my business you arse. I was there helping those villagers." She snarled, glaring hard at the man. Tristan looked over at her from the corner of his eye and realized that Dagonet had been right. He could see her holding herself back right at then. She really was still being affected by her past. The messenger blanched and nodded quickly, turning back to Arthur.

"How did it happen." The Roman asked, staying as calm as he could. Maybe he didn't know Ailith as well as the knights but he still cared for her.

"Raiders came only a few hours after you and your men left and killed everyone. They set fire to the buildings and left. But there was one survivor. He told the Roman officer that one of the raiders wore Roman armour."

"Rouge soldiers?" Gawain threw in, a frown on his face. Arthur shook his head and frowned as well.

"This is troubling. Thank you for telling me this." He said to the messenger before walking the man to the door. Once he was gone Arthur made a sound in the back of his throat and kicked a chair. "We shouldn't have left."

Ailith immediately shook her head, her fists clenched. "No, we would have died as well." She told him, ignoring the slight fear sitting in her heart. How had she known something bad was going to happen. Why hadn't she warned someone? She touched her forehead lightly. What had brought on that uneasy feeling uneasy feeling anyways? She didn't even know that the raiders would be back, yet she knew something terrible was going to happen.

"There is nothing more we can do Arthur." Dagonet said from his place, watching their leader carefully. Arthur started to pace while nearly everyone stared at him.

"Arthur! There was nothing else we could have done. Now, stop getting frustrated about it and think of what we can do to prevent this from happening in the future." Ailith snapped before standing up and leaving the room. She glanced once more at the commander, taking in his shocked face before walking from the room.

* * *

><p><strong>All these wonderful character belong to the makes of King Arthur, except of course for Ailith!<strong>

**So, because I love you guys sooo much I'm going to compromise with you Druid Archer. If I have a chapter finished before Tuesday and Thursday I will post them.**

**So, now that a little bit of Ailith's past has been shown, what do you guys think of her? Tell me in a review!**

**Oh and thanks for all those reviews, it really made my day. Love ya!**

**Edit: I fixed up any spelling mistakes! Thanks for the reviews!**


	14. Chapter Thirteen

The seasons changed quickly into autumn and news of a visiting Roman lord traveled fast around Castellum. Many of the Britons became nervous and nothing seemed to be getting done. Ailith's leg had completely healed up and things had gone back to normal with her and the knights but one morning she had woken up with a familiar sense of dread. A bone chilling fear that spread inside of her. Something bad was going to happen soon. So, Ailith decided to go see Tate and see if he could help her.

She knocked on the door loudly, taking a deep breath. If anyone knew what was up inside of Ailith it would her mentor. Or her brother, but it would probably be best not to worry him to much right now. The knights had been pulling double weight lately so the women barely ever got to see them. Right now they were on a routine scouting around Castellum and probably wouldn't be back until dinner.

"Ailith? Is something wrong? You look pale." Sigga scanned the woman's face before ushering her inside. Dax was now working at the smithy as an apprentice blacksmith and wasn't in the house a lot. Even Eadric got a job in the stables, but that just meant that Ailith got to see him more. And Sigga and Tate opened up their own herbal shop in the market. They sold herbs for tea, remedies, salves, anything.

"I need to see Tate." Was the dark haired woman's immediate reply to her friend. The aged woman nodded and quickly dragged her through the house.

"I was just about to go open shop, so stay as long as you need. I don't need Tate until midday." Sigga informed the other woman before they walked into the other Healer's room. Tate looked up from the book he was reading and his eyes immediately widened when he saw his pale student. Sigga quickly left the room, grabbing everything she needed as she walked before they heard the main door shut.

"What's wrong?" Tate asked, standing from his cushioned chair by the window. He could see the signs of distress in her darker than usual eyes. He grabbed Ailith's hand and pulled her to the bed. "Speak." He demanded, sitting down across from her at the table.

"I've been having this feeling. It's familiar too. I felt it when we were in that coastal village just before we left. And when we did it went up in flames. This feeling is ten times worse. Almost to the point where I feel sick." She told him in a soft voice. He reached out and took the woman's hand and turned the palm up. His fingers traced along the lines there and he sighed heavily.

"It's your gift." He said finally, removing his hands and placing them neatly in his lap. Ailith stared at her former mentor for a long time with no emotion clear on her face.

"This is my gift? A feeling of foreshadow that I can't even distinguish? I thought you said the Goddess was fair." She said after another long moment passed. Her voice was quiet yet deadly at the same time, warning Tate to be cautious.

"Child, the Goddess may have given you a terrible gift but it is up to you to train your powers to their maximum. Only then will you find out their true purpose." He started, watching the woman before him. Her skin was pale and her eyes were dark and tired. She had been helping in the tavern for the past few days from what he had heard. Working with Vanora until it was time to close up. She probably hadn't gotten much sleep in those last few days either with the feeling she had described to him.

"So what? What do I have to do to get rid of this?" She demanded, standing and starting to pace in front of her former mentor.

"Ailith! You cannot get rid of it. It is a part of you." Tate stood up and grabbed the woman's shoulders, forcing her to stop pacing. "It is a gift and you will treat it as such." He ordered, staring Ailith in the eyes. The grey orbs darkened before she jerked herself away from the older Healer and headed for the door.

"You can't ask me to do that, Tate. It is my choice to treat this power as a gift or a curse." She said icily before walking from the room and leaving.

* * *

><p>She then went to the tavern, ready to work and keep her mind off the last events. Since there was so much not being done she would take it on herself to help out friends. Vanora's unborn child was now showing and she needed as much help as she could. Ailith had asked Bega to keep watch over their red haired friend so that she didn't cause any unnecessary stress and the dark haired sister worked on both their duties. She would wash dishes, cut vegetables, sweep floors, serve drinks, wipe down tables, anything that could help.<p>

"Girl, you'll have to take a break before you run yourself into the ground with all this work." Sigga said, she was helping out in the kitchen during nights so that her friend could take it easy.

"I won't so stop worrying Sigga. As soon as all of this is over I will take a very long break." The younger woman told Sigga, taking the rag from her belt and wiping down the table in front of her. Sigga chuckled and shook her head.

"If you keep this up Ailith you might collapse before this is over." With that the woman went back into the kitchen to help the cook. Ailith frowned and continued working until a loud cheer came from the entrance. She turned around glanced at what the commotion was about. The knights were walking in with their heads held high clad in their normal clothing. No armour, which meant that they had done something that had earned them a break.

Ailith smiled and turned back to her work only a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist. The woman squealed as she was lifted in a circle. Once she was set back on the ground, Ailith quickly turned around and punched Gawain in the shoulder. "Stupid knight! Leave me be so I can work!" She laughed, a large smile on her face. "Go see to Marlow, you silly fool." She pointed to the back room where she had sent the younger woman a few moments ago to get more food. Gawain grinned and hugged the woman tightly before following her directions.

"It's good to see you, sister." Another hug came from behind but this time Ailith wasn't flung into the air. She leaned back into the arms and smiled, turning her head to kiss Lancelot's cheek.

"Good to see you too, Lancelot." She pulled away from the man's arms and pushed him over to the table he normally shared with the other knights. "Go, I'll bring you some drinks." He nodded and went over. She watched with a glad smile as the others joined her brother. None of them were hurt and that lifted a little of her unease.

When she came back to the table with eight mugs on a tray she could tell from the odd look Galahad had on his face that he noticed the paleness to her skin. She had seen it when she bathed that morning. She'd just have to work on looking extra cheerful. And the next day she'd try and think about this hindering gift. She slid a mug in front of each knight and just as she went to walk away Dagonet pulled her onto his lap.

"You're not working anymore tonight." Bors laughed, patting the woman's head. Ailith raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.

"And who's going to stop me?" In a second Dagonet's arms were around her waist, holding her in his lap. This would have seemed like a very awkward situation if she didn't feel like these men were family.

"You've not been sleeping enough." Dagonet whispered to her and the woman winced before nodding. He loosened his arms and patted the woman's knee.

"It's been hard to keep up with all the work and sleep well at the same time." Dagonet would be the only one she'd admit to . She trusted the knight to give her his honest opinion while looking out for her own needs.

"We're off for all of tomorrow. You go home now and get some sleep." She was about to shake her head when Dagonet lifted her and set her on her feet. "Oh, Tristan. Are you leaving? Take her with you and make sure she gets to her room." Ailith rolled her eyes and turned to the stoic scout who stared at the two. He finally just turned and started towards the entrance slowly.

"Go on, tiny. Go get some sleep." Galahad called to her, a woman now in his lap. The dark haired woman sent a half-hearted glare towards the young man while he laughed. Admitting defeat, Ailith turned and quickly went to catch up with Tristan. The scout had kept his walk slow for her to catch up but once he felt her presence beside him he walked normally, quickly getting ahead of Ailith. She sighed out and quickly caught up, measuring her steps so that she was only a little behind him.

"It's good to see you well, Tristan." The dark haired woman said just loud enough for him to hear. There weren't many people out at this time of night, only the Roman soldiers and the people in the tavern. The dark eyed knight cast a glance at Ailith before nodding and continuing onwards. Well, at least he was nice enough to make a small reply back. Ailith shook her head and started picking on the hem of her sleeve. She was growing weary of dresses, being stuck in these odd torturing fabrics. Perhaps she'd have to go down to the training ring with the knights. She tried to avoid it at all costs but if she went then she'd have an excuse to wear trousers for a change. She'd actually be able to walk properly.

When she looked up she realized that they had already reached the knight's hall and Tristan was already making his way up the side stairs. Ailith sighed once again and followed, tripping once up the stairs before her feet landed on solid wood floors. Guess she really was tired. She looked up and found Tristan staring at her intently through a layer of his hair. The woman had the extreme urge to brush the brown locks away from his eyes and gaze into those night-like orbs. But instead she pushed back to feeling like so many others and continued forward. Tristan's door was one of the first ones, right beside Gawain's room. Ailith smiled tightly as she passed but stopped for a moment. She kind of wanted to stay with him. She sort of wanted to feel his fingers ghosting across her skin again. But no, that wouldn't be right. So she shook her head and quickly fled to her room, black eyes watching her all the while.

Morning came all too soon for Ailith. She back felt sore and the bone chilling feeling hadn't let up yet. Better yet, it seemed to have worsened. This was the day something very bad was going to happen. She rolled over and heaved a sigh when she looked outside. Storm clouds were collecting over Castellum and were not going to budge until they dropped their downpour. She wouldn't be able to go to the hill like she had planned. Instead, she'd just have to go to forest where there was cover from the cold rain and away from the bustle of the village.

She let her feet drop to the fur on the floor, rubbing her feet against the softness. She'd take Ewell to the forest as well; get the horse away from the stables. It would do them both some good. Ailith hadn't seen Raleigh much recently, probably because of the storms. The raptor hated the rain even more than Gawain yet he loved the snow. Speaking of snow it would soon be snow season in Britain and much of the land would soon be covered in the fluffy white stuff. It would explain why it was colder than normal in her room.

Ailith changed into her mission clothing with the addition of a heavy cloak. Once her hair was plaited the woman left her room and immediately shivered at the cold and wet air. Down the hall, two knights were already seated in their normal storm spots.

"Good morning, tiny." Percival said loudly as she walked over to him and Erec. Ailith smiled in reply and stopped to teasingly ruffle Erec's brown hair which got her a mock glare. "Where're you headed out?" The taller knight asked, raising an eyebrow at her cloak and trousers.

"I need to go somewhere to think for a while. If anyone needs me I'll just be in the forest." Erec stood from the wall and have the woman a warning look.

"Should you really be going into the forest alone?" He asked.

"I'll have Ewell with me." Percival snorted back a laugh and nodded.

"Yes, that horse will definitely be able to protect you against a hoard of Woads." Ailith rolled her eyes and moved her cloak to show the sword that she had collected from the blacksmith a few weeks back. Both men looked at their Healer with wide eyes.

"That's…" Erec's voice faded out as he observed the sword. Ailith nodded and drew the clean blade.

"It was my grandfather's blade during his serving time. My grandmother always told me to come and claim it if I ever found his grave." Percival whistled one long note and shook his head.

"Are you sure that you're not a knight, Ailith? I can't see you being a Healer with that on your hip." Ailith grinned at Percival's words before sliding the sword back into the leather sheath and tucking her cloak back around her.

"As you can see, I will be perfectly safe." And with that the dark haired woman finished her walk down the hall and continued down the stairs, a faint smirk on her face. Perhaps she was more like a knight then a Healer.

* * *

><p>Ailith found a good spot just inside the shelter of the trees. Castellum was in eye sight but she knew that no one would come to find her. It was just her, Ewell and nature. Something that Ailith didn't mind in the least. Her cloak was wet, so she hung it on a tall branch to dry while she unsaddled the black and white horse. The sound of rain was soothing to her, and it calmed her down. Yet still, the dreaded feeling was there. She needed to find out what it was, even if she brought more of it.<p>

She found herself a dry spot under a tree and leaned against the trunk. As stupid as it sounded, Ailith would meditate. She'd try and find the origins of this feeling and try to shed more light on it. And if she was lucky, it wouldn't be buried to deep. The grey eyed Healer took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trusting the stallion a bit away from her to warn his mistress of anyone approaching. She steadied her breathing to a slow and deep rhythm before letting any thoughts in her mind go. Everything about the knights, about her past, about her sister, about the conflicting emotions for one particular knight. All she did was sit and let those thoughts become obscure to her.

Only once that was done she burrowed deep into herself, searching for one thing in particular. The cold chill that had a hold of her bones and heart. In her mind's eye she could picture white hands grasping onto everything inside of her tightly. Not tight enough to cause pain, just an uncomfortable tug inside of her. With that image she concentrated long and hard on tugging the fingers from her, trying to loosen the grip it had on her. Yet this cold chill didn't seem to want to leave the warmth inside of her.

The game of tug and war continued long into the day, and when Ailith finally got one finger to loosen a sharp pain tore through her. The dark haired woman gasped, hugging herself tightly until random images flashed though her mind.

_A large caravan moving towards the village at an irritatingly slow pace. _

_A familiar Roman holding a long sword tightly in his hands._

_Herself standing next to Lancelot, who held the cold body of a young woman in his arms. _

_A large ice covered lake and floating faces beneath in._

_A great battle. Black smoke rising from the ground and seven horsemen on a large hill._

The woman's head snapped back up, her eyes wide with confusion and fear. So this was her great gift? The ability to see things before they happened? And these cold fingers inside of her were the way to completely control that ability. But she didn't want to! She didn't want to see the dead girl in her brother's arms. Nor the battle that would kill many. She didn't want to see any of it!

Ailith snarled, startling Ewell from her grazing and the rabbit that had some close to the Sarmatian. "So this is to be my _wonderful_ gift?" She growled sarcastically, rising herself from the ground. The rain had stopped but thunder still rolled above her. The calm that she had achieved was now gone and in its place was a raging battle within the dark haired woman. Why couldn't her gift be something simple? Like-, ugg, she didn't even know now!

The Healer brushed off her clothing before moving towards Ewell to saddle the large animal. He stood still for her, sensing the terrible mood that his mistress was now in. The horse whinnied its sympathy and Ailith stopped for a moment. Then she patted the stallion's long neck before grabbing her cloak and mounting Ewell. The first two glimpses were probably the closest ones to the current time. And soon she'd find out who the Roman was holding the sword.

Back in the village the rain had come back, soaking Ailith once more with the retched water. She dismounted from Ewell and handed the reins over to Jols who had been watching from the dry stables. Next she went to the tavern where Vanora immediately handed her some bread and cheese and shooed her away again. She told her that all the knights were in in their normal spot during the storm and had yet to come down so that was where Ailith went to next. And when she found them, many of the men were dozing off while the others watched the downpour. She skipped past a snoring Galahad and Gawain and tiptoed back to her room to change her clothes.

She put on a simple jade green dress with Celtic circled belt and walked back out barefoot. Arthur wasn't with the group, probably off planning another mission. But surprisingly Tristan was in the group of knights. He was leaning against the wall beside Dagonet who had seated himself beside his door. Gawain and Galahad were sprawled out on the ground, snoozing away. Percival was also dozing, slumped against the railing with Erec sitting silently beside him. Lancelot was watching Ailith from his spot against his door which was on the other side of Dagonet's door. She walked over and sat herself beside him with Tristan standing on her other side.

"So, I've been talking to Bega a lot more lately. She's a good girl." Lancelot said quietly, mindful of his fellow knights. Ailith smiled softly, undoing her braided hair before replying.

"She's always been like that. When mother was sick she'd help me with the house chores or do them herself when I was out training. She'd help father in the stables and after we were taken she would help all the others." Ailith laughed and shook her head. "When I was being used for the Wolf she'd help Tate tend to my injuries." Lancelot raised an eyebrow.

"It's hard to imagine you ever getting injured in that state." Ailith snorted softly before shaking her head.

"I was rarely injured and when I was it was only a nick from the blade or a small cut here or there. I was only beaten once by some Roman pig." At his her brother frowned and he could see that Tristan had tilted his head to hear the conversation.

"Someone actually defeated Wolf? I'd hate to see what he looked like after." The dark knight joked with a smirk. But the smirk died when he noticed the expression on Ailith's face.

"He got under our skin. He used Bega against us. And at the end we got more then we could handle." The woman gently touched her back over her shoulder and winced at the memories.

So, Tristan and Gawain had been right in their assumptions. Something shadowed her and it lingered on her back. Lancelot reached out slowly towards her shoulder but the moment Ailith saw she scooted a little farther away. Lancelot gave her an odd look and she just smiled tightly.

"Don't like people touching my back." She told him, removing her hand from her shoulder and curling up her legs. "It actually has something to do with that day." She told him before turning her head to watch the rain. She could see Erec nodding off now, joining the slumbering knights around him. "Perhaps you guys should all get some sleep." She teased, glancing back at her brother. He snorted and laughed.

"Yeah right, with all the work we've been putting up with lately?" The conversation stopped when a soldier shouted something from the Wall. All the knights who were awake quickly got up and made their way down the stairs and to the gates. Ailith was stuck waking up the four knights who tiredly followed the others with Ailith behind them.

Once at the gate the knights and Healer stopped, watching a large caravan moving painfully slow towards Castellum. Ailith's grey eyes widened as she thought back to the first vision, watching this exact thing. To stunned to speak, the woman made a startled sound that made many people turn to look at her. Yet she ignored then and grabbed Gawain's hand in hers. She squeezed tightly, alerting the man to her distress. Without hesitation the fair haired knight wrapped his arm around his friend's shoulders and tugged her closer. They watched with the others for a long time before the first carriage arrived inside Castellum.

"Make way! Lord Clemens has arrived." One of the Roman soldiers shouted. Ailith stiffened her eyes impossibly wide and filled with fear.

"Ailith?" Dagonet whispered from beside her. But the dark haired woman didn't hear. She pulled away from Gawain and quickly raced away from the gate.

* * *

><p>Ailith hid in her room until the sounds of people faded into the normal quiet hum outside her door. The name of the Roman lord was the same as one of her former masters. She had desperately hoped that that part of her life had been over. That she could move on and make her own life. But apparently not. The Romans seemed to need a place in her life where they could torture endlessly. Not that they already hadn't. If she didn't leave her room soon though Vanora and Marlow would come get her and force her to come to the tavern for food. So, she stood shakily from the bed and tightened the belt around her waist that kept her sword up. Then she covered herself with her cloak and plaited her hair once again. She liked having the separate sections plaited. It gave her a look that nearly screamed outlander. That and it kept the dark strands from getting in her way like they would if she had her hair down.<p>

She quickly shifted out from the room and found herself in the tavern much faster than normal. She had almost ran there and now she was slightly gasping. Even her body knew the dangers of so many Roman soldiers. She quickly spotted two solemn knights sitting at their table and went towards them. Both Bors and Dagonet looked up at her once she reached them, their eyes grave.

"What is it?" She asked, sitting down slowly. She had never seen suck expressions on these two knights. Lancelot and Galahad yes, but not the most calm and crude of the knights.

"It's those Romans. Lancelot is locked up right now for getting into a fight with one of the soldiers that came with that arrogant lord. Tristan is even more withdrawn than normal because of something one of them said. Gawain and Galahad are off keeping to themselves and the other two have landed themselves in the Physician's room." Ailith's brow rose before her eyes narrowed.

"Why were they not brought to me?" She hissed, knowing it had something to do with these Romans. Bors snorted his disapproval and shook his head. So Dagonet answered for him.

"That lord decided that they would be looked after by _Roman_ healers. After helping Lance with his fight."

"What?" She cried, standing up from her chair. Dagonet shook his head as well, moving his eyes to the mug in front of him.

"They wouldn't even let me look at them."

"How the hell did they get injured from a skirmish?" She demanded her hands in tight fists on the table top.

"One of the soldiers took out a knife. Caught Percival in the gut and Erec on the leg." Bors replied looking deadly as well. Ailith huffed and whirled around. She had to set things straight before anything happened to the knights. So she stormed her way to the Physician's room, making sure to leave angry footprints in the mud.

When she got there a groan went through the room. She stepped in, tracking mud through the room while she went to her friends sides.

"Ailith." Erec smiled tightly as he watched her come up to them. Both men were laying vertical beside each other on different cots. Percival was as pale as a ghost and Erec was looking no better. The dark haired woman sat between the two, turning to look after Erec first.

"Where?" He shook his head and lifted his one leg, wincing at the movement. When she looked down she nearly got up to hunt down the Physician. His leg had been bandaged yet the blood had nearly drenched the entire thing, leaving no white behind. Ailith moved quickly, gathering an already lit candle and a needle and water. She gave a reassuring glance up to the knight before quickly removing the soaking bandaged. He hissed out in pain before clenching his jaw and looking at the bleeding wound.

"That damn fool didn't even stitch you." Ailith growled under her breath. The cut would have been nothing if they had stitched it immediately but now there was a good chance of infection and too much blood loss. She grabbed a rag and wet it with the fresh water before dabbing at the gash on Erec's leg. He winced each time the rag touched his leg but never made a sound.

Once the blood had been washed away Ailith flittered about the room, finding the right herbs she would need to kill off infection. She could only find one, basil which she ground into a paste. Next she did the one thing that always turned her stomach, putting the paste to use. She glanced up at Erec with a grim look. He nodded once and grabbed a piece of leather from the side table. Once he was completely ready Ailith opened the cut with one hand, holding down Erec's leg at the same time. Then with nimble fingers the pressed the paste inside the wound as gently as she could. Erec made a choked sound, his hands clamped on the sheets. She coated the inside of the wound with the green paste before closing the wound quickly and preparing a needle and thread.

The stitching went by much less painfully and all she had to do now was wipe the blood away again and bandage it. Sighing with relief she patted his stomach and sat up straight. "You're all set Erec. Don't put any pressure on this until I say so." She emphasised the 'I', making it clear that she didn't care at all for the Physician. The knight nodded and closed his eyes, slipping into a restful sleep. Ailith turned to Percival to see him watching her, his face slightly pink despite the paleness.

"I'm next I guess?" He chucked, only to groan in pain.

"Hush." Ailith murmured her hand on his forehead. She frowned then, feeling the heat coming from his body. She flipped her hand and feeling the heat intensify. "Oh Percival." She whispered before standing and rushing around the room once again. Once she was seated with a new bowl of water, a rage, bandages, and herbs; ginger and garlic. But the door suddenly opened and the Physician walked in.

"What are you doing here? What have you done to my patients?" He demanded with an outraged expression. Right then Ailith had the extreme desire to cut a hole in this Roman's throat.

"I am saving my friends from you mistakes!" She growled. She nearly got up until Percival's unnaturally warm hand closed on hers. "How long has he been like this?" She asked quietly, moving his blankets down to observe the red bandages on his stomach. Her eyes narrowed and the grey colour turned inexplicably dark. Percival frowned and squeezed her hand tighter.

"A day." Ailith's back went rigid before icy black eyes peered at the small man. He whimpered softly, taking a step back. Ailith could feel Wolf taking over, but forced it back.

_Not now! We have to help Percival,_ her mind insisted, tugging at the other.

"He's been with fever for a day and you did nothing?" Her voice was a deadly whisper, barely heard by even the knight beside her. Grabbing the knife from her boot, Ailith quickly cut the bandages away from her friend and winced at the sight. The skin around the long gash was red and irritated, though the blood flow seemed to slow. "You, Roman." Ailith snarled, eyes still fixed on the infected wound.

"Y-Yes?" The man squeaked, trembling like a new born lamb.

"You are never to touch a Sarmatian for the rest of your miserable life. Tend to your own people and let me worry about my own." She ground out, grabbing the water bowl and rag, wiping away at the dried and fresh blood. "You can kill as many of your own people as you like." She snapped, eyes flashing before she turned completely towards her friend to tend to him.

* * *

><p>Percival didn't survive through the next night. He had died on the same cot with Ailith and the men at his side. The fever had killed him and had left an untameable anger in Ailith. She went to the burial and said her own words to the knight who had lightened her days. But after that no one saw her for nearly a week. The only ones who had seen her were Gawain and Tristan. Gawain only saw her when she retreated to her room long after everyone was supposed to be asleep and Tristan had seen her sitting on their hill many times. Even he avoided her though. One the eighth day she came back into the village looking dirty and solemn. When a Roman soldier crossed her path the men would nearly run away from her and the hollow glare that she sent them.<p>

Lancelot found her next in the tavern, helping set up for the evening meal. She wasn't allowed to help during the night shifts since all the soldiers were afraid to go ten feet from her. So he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. The woman stiffened before relaxing and shaking her head.

"I have to finish." She murmured, leaning down to scrub at the wooden table in front of her.

"Come to the stables for me after you're done. There are a few of us who want to go riding." He whispered to her before he released her and left.

And just as promised five men stood with their horses just outside the stables. Jols stood to the side, holding Ewell out for her. Ailith laughed at the combination in front of her, Erec, who had nearly healed completely, Gawain, Dagonet, and Tristan. This trip would be amusing. But there was probably another reason for their ride other than the pleasure of the oddly warm day. Ailith smiled to each before she took Ewell's reins from Jols and mounted along with the others.

They road into the fields where Erec and Gawain insisted on a race. Obviously Tristan and Cadmon won with Gawain a close second. Ailith had come third then Dagonet and finally Erec whose face was now very foul.

"It's not my fault that I can't ride properly yet!" Erec scowled, which got even more of a response from Gawain who was clutching his sides with laughter. It pleased Ailith to no end to see the normally quiet knights in front of her enjoying themselves. It gave her a new perspective on their lives. Like how Tristan didn't always have that infuriating mask of his up. When they were secluded he let that mask fall sometimes to smirk or make rude comments. Dagonet smiled more openly and Erec was more open to speaking. Gawain was simply himself.

"No, but if you knew that you shouldn't have asked for a race." Ailith said smartly, smiling at the man. He frowned at her before letting out an irritated sigh.

"You still would have lost." Tristan commented, slicing an apple in his hand with a knife he had hidden on his person. Ailith chuckled and shook her head. They stopped under a small group of trees, getting out of the sunlight for the moment. They all sat down in their own spaces, momentarily ignoring the others. After a long time Gawain got to his feet and walked over to Ailith who had stretched herself out in the grass. He sat down next to her and sprawled out as well. Nearly immediately after the others joined them except for Tristan who sat just a little bit a ways.

"Are you alright now?" Gawain asked from his place. Ailith turned her head to him and sighed.

"Not really. I'm tired of death of friends but I know that I can't react as I normally have." She paused picking at the grass under her hands. "I know that it's something all of you have gone through. I guess my time away was just my own way of calming myself down."

"Why were you so upset?" Erec asked from by her feet.

"I couldn't help him."

"Tiny, you could have done nothing more than you did." Dagonet said from his sitting position on her other side. Ailith looked over at him and gave a tight smile. "You helped him and then stayed by him until he passed on." Leave it to the always wise Dagonet. Ailith's smile lost the tight look and became a true smile.

"Thanks guys." She quietly said glancing at Tristan now. He gave a sharp nod and turned back to looking over the field.

* * *

><p><strong><strong>All these wonderful character belong to the makes of King Arthur, except of course for Ailith!<strong>**

**Hey guys! I really hope you liked this chapter. It took me forever to write and I feel quite proud of how this story is going so far. **

**Now, I was wondering if I could get a little help from you. I wanted to know if I've kept the characters in character so far. And if not then could you tell me and give me a way to bring them back out of the oc-ness?**

**But other then that keep up the reviewing and possibly go check my page for the poll there. It's for a new story I'm starting.**

**Love ya!**


	15. Chapter Fourteen

The next day the sunny weather was once again covered back up with clouds. This was perfect for Ailith, who was dreading this day. When they got back from their ride the day before Arthur came to them and told them that the Roman lord had wanted to meet them all. No, not just the knights, _everyone_. And the thing was everyone was still ticked about the incident with Percival and Erec. The knights blamed Clemens and the idiotic Physician. Ailith took her anger out on all the Romans. Not one crossed her path since the incident and they were right in their thoughts. Actually once news of their meeting came most of the knights avoided Ailith too. She was definitely not in a good mood. And that mood continued on to the day of the meeting. That day.

When Ailith woke up the room was chilly and only embers were left in the hearth. She had switched her regular quilt for some furs that kept her warmer in the cold weather. Ailith sat up and rubbed her eyes tiredly. She shivered before slowly swinging her legs over the side of her bed. Her door opened a crack and a small face peered into the dark room.

"Hello Six." Ailith said, smiling slightly to the six year old. The door opened more and nearly all of Vanora and Bors children dropped into her room. The dark haired woman chuckled and picked up the youngest, Eight. The little toddler laughed and hugged her around the neck.

"Are you feeling better Aunt Ailith?" Three asked, sitting down beside the woman. The kids tended to call her aunt now since she was normally helping their mom out. It felt nice to hear it though. The woman sighed softly and leaned over to kiss the twelve year olds head.

"I'm feeling as good as I can right now." She answered, pulling away. The kids all sat in front of her with small smiles.

"Can we help you feel better?" Gilly asked, crossing his legs. Ailith laughed softly and shook her head.

"I'll be better when those Romans leave this place." They all nodded and Ailith winced when the chubby hand of Eight tugged on her hair. She took her hair back and laughed quietly when the little boy frowned. "So, how come I don't normally get woken up like this?" She asked, smiling at the kids. They all grinned and got up, tugging at her nightgown. Ailith handed Eight over to One and stood up.

"Come on! Mom has breakfast ready at the house." Two told her. Ailith nodded and nudged the children out of her room. She quickly changed into a clean, blue and red dress and slipped on her boots before running her brush though her dark tangles. She left the room and closed the door only to have her hands grabbed and her being pulled down the hall.

One door opened on their way down the knight's hall and Ailith laughed at the expression Tristan made when he was the brood of children and Ailith.

"Tristan! Want to come for breakfast?" Three asked, letting go of Ailith's hand so that he could tug on the scout's jerkin. Ailith chuckled and watched Tristan look at the child oddly. "Please?" Three asked, dragging the word out as he tugged more on the leather coat. Finally he sighed and let the boy tug him to the front of the brood. Ailith sent the man a smirk that he simply rolled his eyes at before facing forward again.

Once they reached Vanora's small home the children let the two adults go and ran to their mother. Vanora was five months into her pregnancy at the most and she had traded in her normal dresses for larger, easier to move in dresses. Ailith smiled to the woman and went to hug her. When they separated Vanora's green eyes went to Tristan and she raised an eyebrow.

"Three convinced him to join us." Ailith told her before walking into the children's room and picking up Nine from his crib. She returned to the main room and smiled, shifting the babe in her arms.

"Aunt Ailith! Come see the drawing we did!" Six shouted, tugging on the woman's dress. Ailith sighed and followed the boy to the dining area were the table was covered with papers and coloured inks. She walked over and looked at the eight pages laid out to dry. One was simply splashes of colour while the others actually resembled something. The picture Gilly had drawn drew the woman's grey eyes from the others. The drawing was of eight men and a smaller person.

"It's you and the knights." He told her, a big grin on his face. Ailith smiled and ruffled his hair.

"Good job, Gilly. You should ask your Ma to put that up somewhere." She told the little boy. Gilly nodded quickly and raced back to the kid's room. Ailith followed a bit more slowly, putting Nine back in his crib before going back into the main room. "So what are we having for breakfast?" Ailith asked Vanora, waving slightly to Tristan who had taken residence in the darker corner of the room.

"We'll be making something good today since it's One's birthday. I was planning on mixing a bunch of fruits and nuts together." Ailith thought for a moment and then nodded.

"Sounds good." She commented before moving to the kitchen with her friend. "Is anyone else joining us?"

"Yeah, Gawain and Dag will be and Bors once he's done checking on Brun. That damn horse has been making a fuss about everything lately." Ailith laughed and nodded her head before finding a large serving bowl that they'd use to mix and hold the food.

"Yes, he has been. I think it might be because Jols changed his food servings." Vanora passed the dark haired woman a washed apple and tilted her head to the main room. Ailith nodded and hurried over to the main room where she found a swarm of children surrounding Tristan. Ailith laughed and walked over. "Alright kids! Leave the poor man be. Go and find Gawain or your Pa." She told them, patting Four on the head as she sped past with her siblings. Ailith turned to the scout and smirked. "Not a very big kid person, are you?" She asked, tossing him the apple in her hands.

"No and thank you." He murmured just loud enough for the woman to hear. Ailith shrugged and turned back around, heading back to the kitchen. "Would you join me on the hill after the meeting?" His soft yet rough accented voice called, making Ailith pause for a moment. The dark haired woman threw a smile over her sounded and nodded before going back into the kitchen.

"Why haven't you made a move on his yet?" Vanora hissed, trying to be as quiet as she could. The Healer rolled her eyes and got started on cutting up strawberries and tossing them into the bowl.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Haven't we already gone through this?" Vanora groaned, pausing in cleaning some more apples to stretch out her back. Ailith shrugged and tossed more of the berries into their large bowl.

"Honestly Vanora, the man is a knight and has no need to build relationships with anyone until his service is over." A light sprung into the red heads eyes once her friend finished speaking.

"So, you're not denying it?" Ailith stared at her friend for a long moment before sighing and putting down her knife.

"No Vanora, I find him very handsome and loyal and I hate that neutral expression he always uses. But I don't need a man in my life. I'm perfectly fine on my own." The older woman practically squealed, clapping her hands together before hugging her friend.

"That means you will probably end up with each other!"

"And how did you come to that conclusion?" Ailith asked, an eyebrow rose as she tried to work around her friend's arms.

"That was the exact same thing I said before I finally gave in to Bors." Ailith looked over at the red head who was smirking at the younger woman.

"You never told me how you and Bors got together." She stated, trying to change to topic. And from the warm glow in Vanora's eyes it had worked. The mother of nine sat down at the small table in the corner of the room, her one hand resting on her swollen stomach.

"When he first came here my father was the one to train the knights. He had been a knight himself and settled down with my mother here. I'd often go out and bring them food with the other girls but unlike them I felt the same way you do. Two years later I started working at the tavern, I was one of the only girls there who didn't sell herself to the men after hours and I think that's what temped both Bors and Lancelot. Day after day the brute would come to me with a gift. Never anything fancy and simply ignore him. He'd even gone as far as talking to my mother about ways to woo me. Silly man." Vanora shook her head with a soft smile before continuing. "It wasn't until I was fifteen that something had caused him to get so angry that he was shouting and rampaging in the tavern. Turns out he had been defending me against some Roman. After that day I finally started accepting the gifts and not even a month later he had asked me to be his lover and the next day I guess I was with child because in the following months I started to gain more weight, getting sick in the mornings, all the wonderful things about being pregnant."

Ailith laughed and shook her head. "Of course he'd get you with that emotional side to him." She said popping a broken piece of nut into her mouth. Vanora raised an eyebrow before nodded and standing back up.

"Yes and as to what you said before this just proves that a man needs the company of a woman to keep himself sane."

"Pshh, Tristan's got all the company he needs. He'd just have to go to the tavern and pick up a wench." Vanora frowned and finally sighed.

"You'll get it eventually, love. Hopefully it's not too late." Ailith ignored the woman's soft talk and continued working on the fruit.

* * *

><p>Breakfast had been a very eventful thing once everyone was seated at the table. Bors was telling stories to the women about their travels, getting a good laugh from some of the more funny ones. Gawain had made One a small carved picture that she had rushed back into her room to find a safe place for. Dagonet and Tristan quietly spoke to each other, ignoring the watchful eyes of the smaller children. And near the end Vanora was convinced to sing for them since it was a special occasion. The song had been of happy days and warm winds. But the celebration ended when Jols knocked on the door, announcing that the meeting would be starting soon.<p>

The five of them walked slowly, making sure that their female company had all the time in the world to prepare. They still didn't know what was going through her head but they assumed that they'd know soon enough. And once they entered the fortress hall a woman nearly attacked Ailith with kisses and hugs and soft, affectionate words.

"Tiny, you know this woman?" Bors asked, a slight smile on his face. Ailith looked beyond amazed as she grasped the smaller woman's shoulders and held her at a distance.

"Cwenhild?" She asked carefully, taking in the bright blue eyes and long, tangled blond hair. The woman nodded and hugged the Healer again. Over her shoulder Ailith peered at the Roman lord, noting the smirk that had claimed his lips.

"Good to see you again, Wolf." He spoke loudly, causing everyone in the room to pause and glance at him. Ailith went stiff and tugged away from Cwenhild.

"Lord Clemens." She growled, bowing her head only slightly. The man howled a laugh, leaning back in his chair and holding his gut.

"Artorius, I thought you said she was no long a slave! Yet she still bows her head!" Ailith snarled at the man and all the Romans in the room jumped at the realistic sound to it. She honestly sounded like a wolf. But Clemens just laughed more. "You were trained well, Wolf. There is no doubt about it." Cwenhild placed a hand on Ailith's shoulder, trying to calm the woman down.

"Knights, this is Lord Clemens Acestes." Arthur cut in, watching the livid look on the Sarmatian woman's face. The knights slowly spread around the table, sitting in their places while the soldiers stood and leaned against the walls. Clemens took his seat beside Arthur and watched as Ailith seated herself beside Lancelot. Clemens looked between the two and raised an eyebrow.

"I see you found your brother." He commented, leaning his head in his hand. Ailith simply glared at the man with all the hatred in her while Lancelot just gave a him a passive glance before setting his eyes on the maid bringing drinks to them all. "I'm guessing the other brat is still with you then?" Ailith clenched her teeth and moved her gaze to something not so… Familiar. "Introduce me to these wonderful knights, Artorius." Clemens demanded after taking a long sip of his wine.

Arthur nodded and gestured to each knight. "Here we have Erec, Dagonet, Bors, Gawain, Tristan, Galahad and Lancelot. And of course, you know our Healer, Ailith." The small man gave the commander a surprised look.

"You use her as a Healer when you could use her in the battle field?" He asked, motioning to the only woman at the table. Arthur glanced around the table at his knights. He understood the anger that burned bright in their eyes and appreciated them keeping it to themselves.

"She is not a weapon. Ailith only fights when she needs to and any other time I do not force her to." Arthur began, resting his hands on the table top. "She prefers to heal instead of fight so that is what she does." Ailith nodded to the man, hoping he'd notice the grateful look in her eyes. Arthur gave a slight nod before she turned to glance at Gawain. His eyes were narrowed on Ailith's former master and his fist was tightly clenched.

Clemens scoffed and shook his head. "Then you have no idea how to use her talents." The men seemed to tense, each of them now staring at the lord with icy eyes. "She should have a sword in her hand and a body at her feet." He continued before glancing over at said woman. "By the way, your other Sarmatian rats have been begging me to let them see you. They'll wait outside in the court yard once they've finished their work." Just as the dark haired woman was about to stand Clemens cleared his throat. "In return I'd like something from you." Two pairs of dark eyes glared daggers at the Roman.

"What is it?" The Healer was tense, her normally grey eyes dark.

"Oh nothing really. Nothing you can't handle. But I've brought a friend who's just dying to see you again. You remember my favourite soldier, Drusus Gallus?" Ailith jumped from her chair, hissing and growling at the Roman as he simply sat there and smirked. "I would like to see a continuation of that last battle the two of you had." The knights looked to their friend, noting the absolute rage hidden behind black eyes. None of them had seen the Healer like this while still in her right mind.

"You dare bring that bastard here?" She shouted, eyes glazing as she could feel the pull of the Wolf. Clemens snickered and waved his hand, brushing the woman off.

"Yes I do dare. You will fight him tonight when the moon has reached its highest point. Just like before." And with that the man stood and left the room, leaving angry, shocked and vengeful Sarmatians in the room.

* * *

><p>"So who is this Drusus?" Galahad asked, kicking a rock as he walked with Ailith to the entry way of Castellum. She was still going to see Tristan, much to the man's dislike.<p>

"He was the last Roman I've ever fought. Wolf killed every single one of them in that arena and he was the only one who stopped the Wolf. He left me with scars that will never heal." Gal glanced at her back then back to her face. "Yeah, my back's pretty gruesome. I don't like people touching it and I couldn't stand the thought of anyone seeing what I've been through." Gal gave her a look before turning forward.

"Here we are." He gestured to the large stone openings in Castellum's wall before smiling and patting her shoulder. "You don't need to worry about us Ailith. We've yet to act differently around you and we never will. We're your family, little sis." Ailith could feel her eyes water before she smiled and hugged the young knight. When they pulled away Galahad turned and walked away, leaving Ailith to go and find the scout.

It had yet to rain on the small village and that was perfectly fine with Ailith. It meant more time relaxing on the hillside with Tristan. As terrible as it sounded in her head, her body seemed to need the comfort of the stoic scout and the cool winds on her face. So she began her hike up the hill side and promptly fell onto her backside once she got to the top. Her company hadn't gotten there yet so she let herself feel the breeze tangling her dark hair. Briefly she could smell the mixed scent of forest and grass mixed together, reminding her of home immediately. With a low growl the woman threw herself back only to have her head cushioned by two leather boots.

Ailith looked up only to meet the smothering black eyes of her awaited company. The dark haired woman smiled up him and shifted slightly.

"Hi Tristan." She said meekly before lifting her head slightly so he could move. When he did he found himself a comfortable spot beside her, one leg pressed to his chest and the other laid out. Vanora's words continuously rang through Ailith's mind, making her glance at the stoic scout every few minutes. Yet unknown to her, he caught every one of those glances and gave her one of his own when he knew she wasn't looking.

"Are you ready for this upcoming fight?" His steady voice rang loudly in the silence that had grown around them. Ailith lifted her eyes to his fully, stone meeting night. Finally she shrugged and closed her eyes.

"I'm physically prepared but definitely not emotionally." She started, pausing to think about the pros and cons of telling this man the rest of her story. It wouldn't hurt any but she still knew near to nothing about the scout. Tristan raised an eyebrow and turned his head fully to her, watching as she took deep, peaceful breaths until her eyes opened once again. "Tell you what; I'll tell you something about me and you'll have to tell something about yourself."

"There's nothing to tell." Ailith rolled her eyes, catching sight of Tristan's hawk, Amice. Her call was much softer now with her being so far up, but it still soothed the woman slightly.

"That's what everyone says. Just tell me about… Yourself. What you like, dislike, family, what your tribe was like, anything you want to tell me." After a moment Tristan nodded his head and turned back to watching the country side before them. "Alright, well, when I was a slave under Clemens he had me battle all sorts of Romans. You know this already. Well the last Roman I fought, we weren't able to kill. It was Drusus who we had fought that night. He caught us off guard at the last second and took a swipe at my back. We were unable to continue and the Wolf decided then to let me handle things on my own, she was tired from such a long fight. Clemens decided that because Drusus was the first to defeat me in such a long time that he could mark me any way he wanted. He took his sword and started slashing down my back over and over. When he was finished I had nearly fainted from blood loss and had to spent two weeks in bed."

Tristan said nothing for the longest time and when Ailith looked at him she could see his jaw was clenched and the skin over his knuckles had turned white from his tight first. And if she had looked at his eyes she would have seen the glowing anger in his eyes. Finally he spoke in a soft, near whisper. "Why did you tell me." It didn't sound like a question, just something he needed to know.

Ailith sat up and leaned forward, touching her finger tips to her boots. "I figured you deserved to know after me avoiding you my first while here. I don't like people seeing or touching my back." She seemed to be telling a lot of people this these days. He gave her a sharp look before turning his head away again. "Your turn." She said lightly, picking at the grass beside her feet.

"I like apples –" Ailith snorted, straightening up to glare at him. He rolled his eyes and continued. "I like the warm weather, songs, and riding."

_Of course he's say that_, the dark haired woman thought with a slight smile. His eyes scanned her face before nodding to her.

"What do you want to know?" Tristan shrugged and fell back into the cool grass. She could tell he was staring at her by the warm tingle on the back of her neck.

"Well I'm the middle child of three and one of the oldest of all my cousins. My Pa had three sisters and another brother; Uncle Batesa, Aunt Haly, Aunt Tav and Aunt Anya. Each one had one to four children yet Ma only had one brother; Uncle Arun. He only had one daughter before his wife died during the birth of his second child, the child died as well." Ailith smiled slightly, thinking back to how much fun her and her cousins had while their parents were working. Nothing beat it. "That I know of, all of them are still alive."

She reached over and poked Tristan's side, earning her a grunt of approval. Then she turned her head to him and watched him sigh before looking at her. "I don't like burn meat or carrots. Galahad annoys me and deep snow makes it hard to move around." The grey eyed Healer chuckled and shook her head. She turned back to the front only to feel ghost like fingers rubbing against the lower part of her back. She tensed and was about ready to flee again when two arms wrapped around her waist. "Not this time." Tristan murmured in her ear.

She could feel his chest pressing against her back and she started to squirm. His arms simply tightened and the scout rested his chin on her shoulder. Ailith hissed and squirmed harder, digging her elbow into the scout's stomach. He groaned softly, his breath brushing past the woman's neck.

_No, no, no! _She inwardly whimpered, closing her eyes tightly. Tristan could feel her wiggling get weaker until finally she just stopped, breathing hard through clenched teeth. The scout sighed, shifting his legs to either side of her waist. Slowly he rubbed circles onto her stomach, trying too sooth the woman's rigid form. And very slowly she did, her shoulders slumped and irritably slow she leaned back into the scout's body.

"Not so bad, hmm?" He whispered, nuzzling her ear. The woman sucked in a breath and tilted her head slightly, trying to get away from the nearly addictive feeling of him. He breathed out slowly and tucked the Healer closer to him. He was nearly curled around her, a solid wall of protection against everything else.

"Why is it that you can always make me feel things I don't want to feel?" She murmured, letting her head drop forward. Tristan stilled for a moment before her slowly maneuvered her to face him. Her legs were draped over his, resting against his sides. Tristan's one hand rested on the back of her neck while the other gently brushed across her face again. His knuckles were rough and his fingers were much more calloused then Ailith's but they calmed her just the same.

"And why wouldn't you want to feel." He started, peering at her from behind the dark fringe in front of his eyes. Ailith drew her one hand up and softly brushed the locks from his face, pushing them to the side. Her fingers trailed down his temple and down his jaw. In a blink of an eye the woman was leaning away from the scout, her eyes wide. She shook her head and pushed against Tristan's chest, trying to get away.

"You're like a freaking bird, woman." Tristan uttered under his breath, pulling the dark haired woman too him again. He sighed, keeping his one hand on her neck and the other wrapped around her middle, her head buried. "What is it about me that makes you run so fast?" He breathed, lacing his fingers in Ailith's dark hair.

She stilled instantly, her shoulders tense and back rigid. Tristan pulled her back slightly, watching her carefully for any more need to run. But Ailith simply stared at the scout's collar bone and no expression on her face. He moved his hand and tilted her head up to face his. "It's not you that makes me run." She whispered, her lips just barely moving. Tristan stared at her and even though he showed no expression either, the Healer could see the relief in his eyes.

"Then what."

"You're a knight!" She cried, her hands fisting in the fabric of his soft coat. Ailith closed her eyes tightly and bowed her head. "You can go home after you're released and can find someone there! Someone who hasn't been tainted by Rome and someone who has never spilt blood before." Her voice went quieter near the end. Tristan snarled softly before his lips crashed onto hers. Ailith instantly melted, her fingers tightening on the scout's clothing. The arm around her waist brought her closer while his other hand drifted to her cheek.

The kiss was soft and sweet at first but the second time he brought his mouth to the Healer's it was like a fire had grown inside of Ailith. Her arms wrapped themselves around Tristan's neck as she deepened the kiss. She could feel his tongue drift over her lips and almost instinctually she opened to him.

Ailith pulled away once he had claimed every bit of her mouth. She was panting and her eyes were still closed. She could feel his heavy breathing on her face before he lowered his head and rested his forehead on hers. "Tiny bird, that's what I'll call you." Tristan finally said, a soft chuckle following after. Finally he pulled away and kissed Ailith's marked temple. "I won't find anyone back in Sarmatia. It would be near impossible to find someone like you." He whispered to her before burrowing himself in the crook of the Healer's neck. Ailith shook her head, a soft smile on her lips.

* * *

><p>Back in the village there was a large group of people in the open area of the fort. Ailith recognized many of them, their scraggly appearances, worn down faces, crude speech, but each and every one of them held the familiar glow behind their eyes. The entire group was quietly talking to the knights, keeping a distance from them, but still chatting like old friends.<p>

Ailith turned to Tristan with a large grin on her face. She grabbed his hand and eagerly pulled him along with her as she went to the group.

"Ailith!" The cries of people she loved and cared for sounded loudly as every Sarmatian stopped what they were doing and nearly ran at the woman. Hands fussed over her, tugging at her clothing and hair, hugs and light kisses. The Healer simply laughed until she was suddenly picked up by a pair of strong arms.

"Borzu!" Ailith squealed, hugging her man's neck. Borzu had been her father figure in the group after her own father passed away. He was the one who introduced her to Eadric and cared for them.

"You've grown." He deadpanned, putting her down. The others laughed while the woman pouted, crossing her arms.

"Not by much!" The faint voice of Feloma called from somewhere. The grin came to Ailith's face as she stepped back from the mass of people.

"It's great to see you all again!" She laughed, grey eyes twinkling. She ran through the faces and names of all the people, counting how many were missing. She frowned and quickly did a double take. "Where's Marzun, Dawla and Rustem?" She asked the closest to her, which just happened to be Peloma. A downcast look entered the old man's eyes as he looked over the group.

"Marzun was beaten to death, Dawla died in child birth and Rustem took over your place once you left. He died a year ago." Ailith's eyes widened and she glanced around again. Their faces were rippling with angry or sadness and for some it was both.

"Who took over his place?"

"Borzu did. He's been fighting since then and every battle he's won."

"And Dawla's child?"

"A healthy boy. Full Sarmatian too. His father was Marzun and now Cwenhild takes care of him." Ailith nodded, a sad smile on her face.

"Ailith please tell me you're not going to fight that brute again, are you?" A soft, female voice asked. The dark haired woman looked over and saw one of the girls who had been a teenager when they were first put into slavery. Her name was Katin and she was a lovely woman with long brown hair and ocean blue eyes. The Healer didn't reply, only gave the older woman a sharp look. "You can't!

"Ailith's more than capable, Katin." Bega's voice said from behind them. Ailith turned and gave her sister an appreciative smile but it was lost when she saw who stood behind her.

"Hello my lovely Wolf. I hope our fight tonight is just as glorious as the last one we had."

* * *

><p><strong><strong>All these wonderful character belong to the makes of King Arthur, except of course for Ailith!<strong>**

****So, I really hope you guys liked this chapter. It was a bugger to write, let me tell you that. I'm still not sure how I'm going to progress with Ailith and Tristan's relationship so don't hold your breath for any more big mushy moments XD****

****I'd really like to thank BooBoo, BlackQueen and Druid Archer for nearly reviewing on every chapter. I'm soooo glad to know that you guys are still here. Maybe I'm not as bad of a writer as I thought :)****

****Anyways, remember to review and check out my poll and maybe if you're a little curious about the oc you should go check out my new story 'Long Forgotten'. ****

****Anyways, Love Ya!****


	16. Author Note

**Author Note**

**Hey guys! So, I'm having a bit of trouble keeping up with this week's updates so, I'm going to wait until I get back to my mom's house on the 26th. It'll give me enough time to work on both A Breeze and Long Forgotten. I really hope you guys don't mind thought. Like I said, it's a bit difficult and the fact that I'll be babysitting my nephew on Tuesday so either way I won't be able to post.**

**Love ya all,**

**~Ghost**


	17. Chapter Fifteen

**A Breeze**

_Chapter Fifteen:_

The Sarmatian people quickly backed up, regarding Drusus with heavily guarded eyes. Bega ran towards her elder sister, stepping into the warm guarding arms that protected her from this man years ago. Tristan stepped closer to the two women, making sure that this Roman knew who he was watching over. Ailith eyed the man with hate burned into her grey eyes. He was tall, nearly as tall as Dagonet but thin and broad like Gawain. His dark hair and eyes stood out in the group, a trade mark of the Roman Empire. A familiar smirk had hold of his lips, sending a chill through the two sisters. That look, the blood lusting, hungry eyes and a look that said he'd claim what was his. The look still haunted even Bega.

"Drusus Gallus." Ailith's voice was unemotional, her tone completely flat. She would not let this man see any part of her that she would ever show someone she cared for. The soldier bowed mockingly and when he raised his eyes they fell on Tristan. A short bark of laughter erupted from Drusus just before the other knights made their presence know. They all walked to the front of the group, making a wall behind their comrade and friend.

"Ailith of the Sarmatian slaves. Protector of her dog like people. An honour to be in your lovely presence once more." Drusus purred, walking over to the woman with slow strides. "I see you have your own band of men twisted around your fingers. Good to see your whorish ways haven't changed."

Tristan stiffened; Ailith could feel it in nearly every part of her. She tossed a glance at the man before steeling her eyes and turning them back to Drusus. "Good to know you're still a scheming, self-serving bastard." She replied dryly. But his smirk did waver, if anything, it grew.

"And I'm guessing that this man is your current objective?" He asked, quirking a brow in the dark haired woman's direction. Then to Tristan he made another comment. "Watch out sir. She's a temptress and always hits her mark."

"How that leg of yours doing, Drusus?" Borzu called from the front line of slaves. The other twelve Sarmatians snickered, all their eyes icy. Ailith smirked now, seeing in her mind the blow she dealt this Roman that probably hurt more then she had hoped.

Drusus was caught off guard by the words, growling and glared at the group. "Healed and ready for a rematch." He spat, eyes going cold. The Healer inwardly applauded her friend's sharp words. "And what of your back, dear Wolf?" The Roman asked after having calmed himself down.

Ailith heard Lancelot's quiet cursing and knew that he had easily figured out who this man was to her. "Roman dog!" He hissed, stepping forward until he was directly behind Ailith and Bega.

Drusus raised his eyebrow and gave the woman a long look. "Two lovers at the same time? My, my Wolf. You're surprising me every time I see you." He said with that smirk again. "Want to make it three?" Many of the others stepped forward but Ailith sent a harsh look over her shoulder that stilled every soul there. There was a burning light in those darkening orbs and not one of the Sarmatians mistook the look. Wolf may be making an appearance tonight.

"Oh yes Drusus. I'd _love_ to take you; a filthy, foul smelling, over stepping Roman along with my brother and Tristan." The knights behind them each gave a look of surprise. They were well concealed but still there. She didn't deny Tristan. She simply called him by his name and went on with it. Drusus looked Lancelot over once before snorting and shaking his head.

"Yes, I see the resemblance." He said, ignoring the rest of what she had said. Finally Gawain approached the man and gave him an impassive look.

"I think it is time for you to go. This is a family moment." He waved his hand over the group, including the knights in it. When he looked back at Drusus the Roman had a cruel smirk on his face.

"Family? All I see are slaves and a lucky woman with too much fear in her heart." He started, looking Ailith in the eye before turning and walking back to the gate. "I'll see you tonight, Wolf." Gawain stepped back, gathering Ailith and Bega into his arms, watching the Roman go with icy blue eyes.

"And she'll beat you." He murmured, missing the look of comfort in his friend's grey eyes.

By evening Ailith was ready. The other knights had lent her some armour that they hadn't used in a long time. Leather wrist guards, worn leather jerkin, and heavier breeches so that she wouldn't have to wear trousers over top. Once she was dressed, Bega had taken her time to twist her sister's hair into an interesting new style. It was put up, tied off with a thick leather string. The extra hair handing out of that strap was plaited delicately. There were probably more than a hundred tiny plaits draped onto her back, each knotted at the end. Once that was done she took a long time sharpening her sword in silence, mentally preparing herself for the upcoming battle.

She left once the sun behind the clouds. Ailith took a deep breath before trotting down the stairs, feeling slightly weighted by the armour. She found herself in the tavern quickly, being fussed over by those there; Vanora, Dagonet, Bors and Marlow.

"Love, you look ready to fight a war." Vanora said from behind the bar. Ailith laughed softly and shook her head, long plaits brushing against her cheek.

"Better to be safe than sorry, Van." She replied softly. There was a careful blankness to her eyes, keeping everything at a distance. Vanora put the mug she was washing down and quickly came around the bar.

"Ailith, what are you thinkin'?" Her voice was tight and a knowing look claimed her face.

The other woman sighed and her grey eyes looked for anyone listening in to their conversation. The tavern was filled with half drunk and laughing men and their female companions. None were listening but she could feel the warmth of familiar eyes on her back. She turned a little and sent Tristan, who had just walked in, a half-hearted smile. The scout tensed, probably seeing the blank look in her eyes as well. But she turned back to the red head and shook her head.

"I'm not sure what to do when morning comes." She said quietly to Vanora who frowned deeply, taking her friends hand with both of hers.

"What do you mean? You'll do the same thing you've always done." Vanora started, watching the younger woman's face soften slightly before she continued. "You'll wake, bath, annoy Gawain, wake Lancelot then come down for breakfast. After you'll sit on that hill of yours and spend the afternoon there or in the stables. You'll come here and eat before helping until we close." Vanora crossed her arms and smiled at Ailith. "That is what you'll do, like always."

Ailith laughed softly and smiled a bit more openly at her friend. "Van, I love you and all but that sounded very frightening." She chuckled once more before shaking her head. "No, what I mean is that in the morning I'll be completely free of any Roman hold. It's a weird thought, even weirder feeling. I can do whatever I want."

"Well then you had better kill that sick imitation of a donkey's ass." Bors rumbled, suddenly coming up beside Ailith and slinging his arm over her shoulders. Vanora took the chance to slip away while Bors pulled the Healer over to the table Dagonet was seated at.

"Glad to see the guards fit." Dagonet said once they were sitting. The dark haired woman glanced down at the wrist guards and smiled back to her large friend.

"Yeah, I didn't think anything of yours would ever fit me, Dag. You're like giant compared to me." She teased, getting a very faint flush from the man. The woman laughed and reached over to pat Dagonet's hand.

"Believe it or not but Dag used to be a skinny little rail before coming to Britain." Bors said, his eyes watching Vanora as she moved about the tavern with ease and grace.

"Really?" Ailith gave her giant of a friend a once over before raising an eyebrow. "I can't see it."

Bors burst out laughing, his loud sounds clear through the entire tavern. The woman across from him chuckled and shook her head, turning her attention back to Dagonet. "So, which tribes do you two come from?" She asked, mostly to the taller of the two.

"Roxolanoi." Both said in unison before turning to grin or simply smile at one another.

"And you're from a Saii tribe, correct?" Dagonet asked then took a sip from his mug. Ailith glanced over at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Not a very big tribe, eh?" Bors commented before turning back to watching his lover. The dark haired woman rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Yeah, all Saii tribes are small. We're nomadic tribes to."

"That would explain why you work so well as a scout!" The smaller of the two knights exclaimed, his eyes flickering to the said scout who was seating at the bar.

"Bors, Iazyges aren't nomadic. They stay close to the forests in the center of Sarmatia." Ailith corrected, giving the man a complete you're-stupid look. Dagonet laughed and clapped his fellow knight on the shoulder.

"Ailith, it's time to go." They all looked up to see Arthur standing just a bit away from their table, Tristan coming up behind him.

"How about we escort you, tiny? That way we have an excuse to watch you cut down some Roman." Bors decided, standing up slowly and stretching out his back.

"You'd better be back before morning, ya hear?" Vanora shouted from across the tavern. Bors broke into laughter before quickly going to the red haired woman. Ailith turned to Dagonet and watched him walk over to her. Then she turned to Arthur again with a stern look on her face.

"Arthur, if I am injured in this battle I don't want that Physician anywhere near me. Got it?"

"And who will tend to you if you are?" The commander countered, a frown set on his face.

"I will." Dagonet stated, coming up beside his Healer. "She's helped us more than once and I would be happy to help."

Arthur nodded and turned, giving Tristan a nod before walking out of the tavern. "Come on Bors!" The last two called before leaving the tavern as well.

Outside the night air was cold and brought clouds from the people's mouths. It was definitely nearing winter soon. They'd be having a Harvest festival in a week or two if all went well. With those thoughts in her mind, Ailith took her place beside Arthur in the training ring, Drusus across from her beside Clemens. Both Romans were eyeing the other's warrior, trying to find weak points in armour or a weakness in the other's face.

The woman stood completely still, feeling Clemens eyes and also feeling the warmth of Tristan's body behind hers. The scout was her strength right now. She kept her thoughts on him but her eyes fixed on Drusus's brown ones. The soldier was clad in the official Roman armour; a large breast plate, chainmail and dark leather wrist guards.

_He'll be weighted down by all that metal_, Ailith thought, locking the information in her mind for future use. _But that also means he's more protected them I am._

"Wolf, you are ready?" Drusus asked quietly, his eyes locked onto her stony ones. The Healer took a deep breath and nodded. Then both stepped back away from their leaders. Arthur gave an encouraging look before leaving the ring and joining the knights around the outside.

"Remember, you can show your back. Nothing will come of it." Tristan whispered to her, his fingered needing the jerking over her shoulder blade. Ailith stiffened slightly before nodding, accepting his comfort. And then he turned and followed Arthur, Clemens following behind him. Once enough distance had been covered between the Roman and the Sarmatian they both took their weapons.

Hearing the sound of soft leather and metal her instincts took over. Ailith's eyes became blank and uncaring and she swung the slightly curved sword once in her hand before her dull eyes locked onto Drusus. He watched her carefully, anticipating any early attack. But she held, watching him like he was a simple bug under her shoe. The soldier took a step sideways, circling around her before suddenly jumping into the center and swinging his long sword down on her.

Ailith swiftly moved away, dirt coming up under her feet at the quick movement. Her sword came up and hit Drusus's sword, a loud '_clang'_ echoing through the training ring. She clenched her jaw against the vibrations through her sword.

Drusus quickly stepped away, his sword flashing as it caught her shoulder before Ailith could move away. A soft gasp escaped her; a flash of emotions entered her eyes before she pushed it back and quickly countered. She kicked her right foot out, hitting the man behind the knees. They all saw his legs buckle just before he swung his blade at the woman, catching her once again on the arm, this time a deeper cut.

"Damn it!" She hissed, gripping her upper arm and feeling the warmth underneath as blood soaked the clothing.

"Come on! I want to see the Wolf!" Drusus cried, wiping his blade on his pant leg. Ailith growled under her breath and slowly straightened out. The woman flicked a braid from her face before charging at the soldier. Drusus jumped back only to hit the wooden fence. Ailith took this chance and slashed across at her tormentor.

He tried to move back as much as he could; only moving enough that her sword didn't get a full blow. A large gash steadily dripped blood onto the ground as Drusus clutched at his stomach.

"I don't need her. She trusts me enough to finish this on my own." The grey eyed Healer hissed, running the tip of her sword over the Roman's cheek. The flesh cut and blood beaded under the cool metal. "You've haunted me for too long." She said quietly just as she sliced Drusus's arm in the same spots as he had done to her.

"Yeah right. You couldn't fight by yourself even if your life depended on it!" The soldier's voice quivered slightly but he stood to his full height, eyes watching as Ailith turned and walked back to the center of the ring. "Don't turn your back on me, Sarmatian whore!" He shouted and jumped at the woman. His sword cut across her back, slicing through the jerkin and her shirt underneath.

Ailith spun around, both anger and fear in her eyes. She heaved a deep breath and swung her sword down on the soldier. Once he blocked like she had wanted, she kicked her leg out and easily tripped the man.

"Wow, who would have thought it would be that easy?" Gawain said to Galahad, a brow raised while he and the others watched their Healer lower her blade to Drusus's neck.

"Do you yield?" She asked, pressing the cold metal against his throat.

"This is supposed to be a battle to the death!" Clemens shouted in outrage. Arthur gave the man a warning look, his hand tightening around the fence.

"I am a Healer, my lord. I don't kill for entertainment." And with that the young woman lifted her sword, returning it to the sheath and stepping away from the dust man on the ground. "I am free of you now. Don't let me see your face ever again." She murmured before turning and walking out from the ring.

The wounds Drusus had dealt to Ailith weren't nearly as bad as they had all thought. The deeper one needed stitching but that was nothing that Dagonet couldn't handle. His stitches were clean and straight with a salve smeared over them and bandages wrapped tightly around. The other was simply cleaned and had a bit of salve on it and dressed as well. Ailith was probably very lucky that it hadn't been her sword arm that had been cut. That would have resulted in a much different outcome of the battle.

Once she was cleaned up the woman headed straight to her room, ignoring any pestering from her brother or the other knights. They kept gloating about how their _Healer_ had kicked some Romans hind end. And not in a very nice way either. Drusus probably wouldn't show his face until his group left in the next week.

Inside her room Ailith started a fire and slowly attempted to get the borrowed armour off her body. It became painfully obvious that she wasn't getting the jerkin off easily, so she settled for the wrist guards for now. Then she worked on the breeches, exchanging them for a pair of loose fitting trousers that hug on her legs.

"Need help?" A smooth voice asked from behind her. Ailith squeaked and turned around quickly, her face slightly flushed. Tristan stood in her doorway with a raised eyebrow, taking in her appearance. The woman before him was the other side of the one he saw earlier that evening. Her dark brown hair seemed to lose its gleam in the darkened room; her eyes seemed far away and there at the same time. Her clothing was raggedy and a large rip was very noticeable on her back. Under the torn clothing he had seen a faint hint of the scarred tissue underneath and it tore at his insides to think of how she might have been forced to take all that pain.

"If you don't mind." Her quiet voice brought the scout back from his thoughts and back to the woman who had her back facing him. He stepped father into the room, closing the door behind him then her went over and easily unlaced the leather strings tied on her side. The material came off easily enough and Ailith gave a sigh of relief. "Thanks." She whispered. But the stoic scout's hands were once again on her, feather light touches on her back as he traced the cut in her shirt.

"There are many." He said with a quiet awe in his voice. Ailith blinked, looking at him from over her shoulder. His face was just as emotionless as normal but she could see something in his eyes that nearly warmed her heart.

"Tristan?" Without answering the man dipped his head and left a butterfly kiss on the woman's exposed back. She tensed, forcing herself not to flee from the man as his lips brushed every scar that he could see. His kissed trailed up over her clothed shoulder until he reached her neck where he nuzzled there, breathing in her soft scent.

"You're staying, right?" He mumbled into her skin, his fingers needing her shoulders. Ailith sighed contently and leaned back into the knight.

"No, I have nothing to go back to. Everything I could possibly need is here." She whispered, feeling his arms wrapping around her waist to pull her closer. Her hands clasped around his on her waist, leaning back even more into Tristan's chest. "Will you stay? To sleep I mean." The scout chuckled and nodded, his rough whiskers rubbing against her neck. Ailith laughed softly and led him back onto the bed.

Once he was settled on the end of the bed the dark haired woman curled into his side, her hands rubbing circles into Tristan's tunic. The man chuckled and turned onto his side, laying an arm on her shoulders and pressing her closer. Ailith snuggled into his chest and drifted off.

Warmth surrounded her. It was under her, around her and trapping her. Grey eyes opened slowly only to find a mass of brown in front of her. She tensed, pushing back against the chest until her back hit the wall behind her. A muffled moan sounded from the wall of flesh before a familiar, tired face turned to face Ailith from under the pillows.

"Go back to sleep little bird." Tristan mumbled, hair dishevelled and eyes barely open. Instantly the woman relaxed and sighed, letting him pull her body back into his. She glanced over to the window and didn't see any light trying to get into the small room yet, so it must have been just before dawn. She turned her eyes back to Tristan, a soft look passing over them. He had closed his eyes again and a peaceful look had claimed his face. But Ailith could see through that and could sense the smiled trying to tug on his lips as she watched him.

The Healer's hand reached up and gently traced the dark markings on the scout's cheek bones. The curved arrows made his face seem more drawing, giving it an even more exotic look. Then she ghosted her fingers over his eyes and lips, tracing and making invisible designs on the flesh. Finally the smile slipped and in an attempt to hid it Tristan groaned and rolled over completely, burying his face in Ailith's hair. She had untied most of the plaits in her hair during the brief time she had woken up in the night so nor her dark brown locks fell easily except for two plaits that she had tucked behind her ears.

"You smell good." The scout breathed, kissing her neck. Ailith smiled and ran her fingers through Tristan's dark hair, trying to tame the wild mess.

"Come, we should get up. It'll be dawn soon." The dark haired woman murmured, tugging gently at the longest of Tristan's four plaits. He simply grunted and shook his head. Ailith smirked and kissed the top of his head. "Don't you have patrol today?" She asked, using his position to her advantage.

Tristan growled and pulled away from the faint mint smell of his Healer. "Today's might take a bit longer than the day." He told her, laying down comfortably on his back. The woman sat up, feeling a bit of a chill on her back. She looked down at Tristan who still lay there, looking up to the ceiling with a blank stare.

"Yes, I know. It's the end of the season, you have to make sure no Woads are planning a surprise attack." She stated, smiling slightly as she saw his dark eyes glue onto her own grey orbs. "It's not going to change even though we have this." She finished, pointing back and forth between them. Tristan raised a brow and Ailith shrugged in return. "I'm still not sure what to call our relationship."

"Exactly that. You are my woman and that's that." With that he sat up and kissed Ailith on the lips softly before standing up and stretching. When he glanced back at the woman he saw the beaming smile on her face. He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm off then." He murmured, putting his leather boots onto his feet and going to the door.

"Make sure to get something to eat." Ailith reminded him.

"Yes, mother." She laughed while the scout rolled his eyes. He looked at her once more, than frowned. "Stay a moment." He then left the room, leaving the door wide open to the autumn air. Ailith shivered and tucked the furs on her bed around her shoulders, covering the slash in the shirt. In a few moments Tristan was back with some clothing in his hand.

"What's that?" She asked, peering curiously at the bundle. Tristan chuckled at her childishness and tossed them to her.

"Something for you to wear." And with that he left the room, closing the door behind him. Ailith unfolded the bundle and found two shirts a little bit bigger than her own. She looked up to the door and smiled before getting up and getting ready for the day. Maybe she'd wake up Gawain for some company… Yeah, that's what she'd do. Maybe with a bucket of water.

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><p><strong><strong>All these wonderful character belong to the makes of King Arthur, except of course for Ailith!<strong>**

****Alright, I am reeaally sorry about the delay guys but as I said I've been having a busy week. Hope you didn't mind to much XD****

****So, Happy Birthday to my good friend Emily, who has finally agreed to read this story because I begged so much. Hope you read this at some point too!****

****Alright, so, thanks again to alllllll my awesome reviews, especially those of you who have been following since the beginning. You have no idea how much I care for what you write me.****

****All I have to say now it to check out my other story, Long Forgotten and then the poll on my profile. Review and keep giving me the feedback! ****

****Love ya!****


	18. Chapter Sixteen

Clemens and his group of men left a week after the fight between Ailith and Drusus. And with the leaving of the Romans nearly all the trees dropped their old leafs, decorating the ground with multiple colours and the air grew colder with the coming of snow. This left Ailith and Dagonet up to their necks in problems around Castellum. Many of the villagers caught illness easily in the cold of winter. But that never lessened the bright smiles on the Sarmatian knights. In two more seasons they would have completed fourteen years of service to Rome. With only a year and a little bit to go they had re-energized and took on most missions without much problem.

At the current moment Ailith and Marlow were shopping in the market for the rather large festival that would be happening in a few days. Three full days of celebrating the end of the year, eating and drinking together with the other Pagans within the village walls and singing, dancing, games, music. Everything you could think of. Even the knights were given the entire three days off, Arthur even ordered the knights to stay within the walls of Castellum to enjoy them to the fullest. The men of the village had found a fairly open square where they would spend some time each day to get the area ready for the festival while the women were entrusted to cook the largest meal they could. Every household would make something and bring it to the square on the day of the festival.

Vanora had decided to make a little team of women to help make the desserts and prepare food. This would probably take a lot of time, energy and money since the festival lasted three full days. The Christians in the village would be located in the Church, far away from the Pagan festivities. Though, the holiday they celebrated lasted for only a day. They'd most likely stay far away from the square that the men had chosen.

"Oh Ailith! Do you think Arthur will let us use sugar for some of the desserts?" Marlow asked excitedly, her eyes going back and forth between the venders on either side of them. The dark haired woman smiled and paused for a moment in front of a fish vendor.

"I don't see why not. It's not like there are many uses for it in the fort." She replied, eyeing over some of the more fresh seafood. Sugar tended to be rare in small villages like their village, but because of Arthur's Roman status there was rarely an occasion when Castellum ran low on anything.

"We could make crepes and drown them in honey and those fruit pasties that Marlow likes." Ailith nodded her head and paused to glance at the next vendor.

"Why are we getting all of this ready so soon anyways? Isn't the festival next week?"

"Have you ever tried to feed a hundred hungry villagers for three nights while they act like complete fools?" The dark haired woman gave her companion a strange look which Vanora returned with rolling her eyes. "Didn't think so."

Ailith shook her head and gave the older woman a sad look. "No, I can't remember many of the celebrations my tribe had. What I do remember were happy moments that stood out among the rest." Vanora quickly handed the fish vendor a note from Arthur pretty much stating that he'd pay for the fish for both the Christian and Pagan celebrations. Then she turned to the Healer with a curious look.

"How do Sarmatians celebrate the end of the year?" She asked, inspecting some fruit in the vendor across from them. The grey eyed woman frown for a moment, thinking back to her childhood, searching for something to tell her friend. Finally she came across a specific memory that brought a slit smile back to her face.

"I can remember that even though it was night and cold the entire village would gather in a large field where the horses normally grazed and the men would build a very big fire. As a child I can remember sitting with my cousins, watching our parents dance around the fire, and the others would tell us stories, legends and other nonsense. And just before we were sent back to the tent mother and father would gather both me and Lancelot in their arms and bring us into the circle, letting us help say good bye to the departed and welcome the new life that we might be blessed with in the coming year." Ailith finished and turned back to Vanora who had a smile on her lips.

"That sounds beautiful, Ailly. Perhaps someday I can convince Bors to bring me and the children to him home country and I'll see it for myself." Ailith laughed, remembering the complaints the large knight would constantly voice on their travels about his internal fight about whether he'd bring his bastards and lover home. The others would always give supportive advice before complaining about his complaining. It always amused Ailith.

"I think that Sarmatian traditions are always more beautiful than others. I've seen many different Roman, Christian, Pagan and even some Irish traditions and none seem to capture my heart like the ones back home."

After a long moment of silence Vanora finally turned back to her companion and grinned. "Alright, let's get this over with and go home. I want to practice my song."

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><p>Back in the Healing House as Ailith called it, both she and Dagonet worked hard on an injured boy. He had been playing carelessly in his father's barn and rolled into the wall that hung all of his working tools on it. The force had knocked a very heavy hammer on the boy's leg and his parents had immediately brought him into the village to get help. Dagonet was working hard to set the bones back into position while Ailith stood over him, holding the boy down with her arms and upper body. Truthfully, I probably would have worked better the other way around but Ailith wasn't able to stand the thought of causing this child more pain then he was already in. He was probably even younger then Bega.<p>

Right after Dagonet finished splinting the poor boys limb Jols came strolling into the small room we were in with a neutral look on his face. Ailith glanced up at him, letting go of the child's body and quickly went to the small circular table in the far corner of the room and grabbed the cup of tea sitting there. She went back and motioned for Dagonet to help the boy sit up while she placed the clay made cup in his hand.

"Drink this. It will help." She murmured to him, keeping her voice quiet and calm as she had seen all her mentors do before her. Most of the children reacted to it, needing the sense of comfort and protection that they heard somewhere in a Healers voice. Ailith had even heard Dagonet use it at one point to calm a very distressed girl whose parents were ill.

The boy nodded and hesitantly sipped from the cup, tasting the honey she had put into the herbal tea to make it more appealing to him. Then Ailith turned and walked over to Dagonet who was waiting patiently for her by Jols who had yet to say what he had come for. She placed her hand on the very tall hands elbow, something that she and the knights she was closest to seemed to do and they both looked to Jols.

"Arthur has received a message from Rome. There will be a very long mission coming up." He warned before continuing. "Arthur wants all knights in the fortress hall now along with you, lady." Jols still used the formalities even, mostly to tease Ailith but the rest of the time it was simply in his upbringing.

"We'll be there soon." Dagonet answered for both of them before patting Ailith's hand and nudging her back towards the child. "I'll get his parents." He told her and quickly left the door. Jols followed behind, saying something quietly to the giant as they walked through the main hall of the Healing House. The Healing house was an abandoned cottage close to the fortress where they had cleaned and renovated the building to fit the needs of both Dagonet and Ailith.

The cottage was rather large with a small upper floor and a larger main floor. The main floor had been turned into six small rooms were they could separate and give each patient privacy and one hallway connected all six rooms. Upstairs was a supply room and also a spare room for either of the Healers. A fairly large well was in the front yard while there was enough space in the back for a simple herb garden which Tate and Sigga worked on in their spare time.

Ailith sat beside the child's bed, talking mindlessly to the boy while waiting for his mother and father's footsteps. But her mind was on something else entirely. After hearing Jols words a dull, familiar chill claimed her insides. She could feel her fingers shaking but she clamped her hands tightly in the folds of her forest green dress. This time the chill felt deeper and she knew immediately that this mission would not come out well. They might even lose someone during this one. And once that thought entered her mind the shaking in her hands traveled through her whole body.

"Lady?" A quiet voice from the door called. Ailith stood and looked to the small group of people standing at the door. There was a short woman with shoulder length hair and deep blue eyes that seemed to hold some unknown wisdom. Beside her was a man who looked like and older version of the boy. Bright green eyes that twinkled and messy brown hair that looked dirty. Behind them was Dagonet who nodded to Ailith as he wedged himself into the room.

Ailith smiled and nodded to the parents before standing, trying her best to hide the shaking in her body. "He should stay here until my mentor, Tate or his partner Sigga says it's alright for him to leave. This will be his room for the moment and he should not walk on that leg of his." She instructed in a very firm voice. The two nodded and out of the corner of her eye Ailith could see the boy shaking his head with a pout.

"We need to be going now." Dagonet murmured before he patted the child's head and left the room, Ailith following close behind.

Once the two reached the hall they both separated to go to their different comrades. Dagonet went to Bors at the opposite side of the table while Ailith stood between Tristan and Gawain. She didn't dare show her affection for the scout in public or with the others but she didn't want to be far with him in her sights. So she kept close to both her best friend and Tristan. It helped keep her mind off the chill inside of her and helped her focused on the warmth his presence gave her.

Arthur walked in quickly, the leather of his uniform squeaking slightly as he walked. But unlike normal he didn't sit. He placed both hands on the round table and dropped his head slightly. Ailith frowned and slowly sat down in the seat between the two knights.

"Knights, I must be honest; this mission will be terrible. We will travel to the farthest village to the South and join a large caravan with very precious cargo. Along with that cargo is a Roman Princess and her husband to be. They will be taking this cargo to a large family estate on the Eastern side of the island. It will be a very long journey and from what I hear the Princess isn't the most favoured woman."

The knights stared at their commander with nearly deadly expressions. Ailith had a vague sense of what was going through her friends minds. The Eastern part of Britannia was much more exposed to Woads. There were almost constant fights between the Woads and the simple people who surrendered to Rome. The shaking in Ailith's hands became worse and she had to press her palms hard against the table to keep the tremors from being noticeable. She took a deep breath and stood.

"I will need to prepare much more than normal. When are we leaving?" She asked, keeping her hands pressed down on the table, much like Arthur was. He glanced up at her and noted that her grey eyes were much darker than normal and they held a need to flee.

"The princess will not arriving for another two weeks. We will stay and enjoy our festivals then leave the day after." And with that the woman was off.

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><p>By morning both Vanora and Marlow had heard about the upcoming mission. Bors spent every waking minute sitting with her and their children either at home or in the tavern. Gawain was mostly the same. He and Marlow had grown quite close in the time that the woman had been at the Wall. But it was definitely a different closeness then Gawain had with Ailith. It was obvious that they liked each other but both to blind to see it. The others either took to solitude or alcohol. Each of them knew how dangerous this mission would be. They'd be in enemy lands for a time and before that they would be far from their post.<p>

Ailith took these free days to prepare mentally and physically. She'd go back to the small clearing she had visited so long ago and meditate these, trying to release the chill inside of her. Yet the only thing she managed to see was a repeat of the images from before. Only this time the first two weren't there. Those events already happened. But the images that she still saw were more detailed. As if someone has lit a candle in her mind, shadows still fell in certain spots but she was still more aware of the images.

The first, she standing next to Lancelot, who held the cold body of a young woman in his arms, was brighter, so the event would probably happen during the day. They were in a familiar looking field and Woad bodies littered the ground around them. When she inspected the young woman she noted that the girl had fair brown hair and a sharp pain went through her. She could recognize the hair but her mind wouldn't put a face on the body.

The next image of a large ice covered lake and floating faces beneath in made her shutter. Something would happen on that broken ice and the sense of dread in her gut told Ailith that she wouldn't be able to do anything to stop this event. She could now see the white around them but that really didn't help her. It always snowed, rained or hailed on the island of Britain. There was a very large group of people, an army, making its way across the ice towards a small line-up of men, all of which were familiar. But then the image changed again.

The last vision was slightly different than before. It had been cut up into two parts. A great battle. Black smoke rising from the ground and seven horsemen on a large hill. Then it changed to the actual battle. Blades clashed, arrows flew and large fire balls rained from the sky. Then two images flashed past her mind's eye. Lancelot fighting off a Saxon, protecting a Woad woman with a small body and long brown hair. Then Tristan cutting his way through men to reach one man. The Leader.

Ailith's eyes snapped open and her body hurt. Her stomach felt as if something was clawing away on her insides and her head pounded. Her back was sore once more and she had tears flowing down her cheeks. The dark haired woman moaned, catching the attention on Ewell and Raleigh who had found spots in the clearing she was laying in the center of. She groaned as she sat up and delicately wiped away the tears on her cheeks, feeling her muscles strain as she moved. She fought her way onto her feet and rubbed her back, trying to smother the dull pain there.

She turned to the black stallion and ran her fingers through his white mane, untangling knots that had formed during their ride there. The horse watched his mistress with his intelligent blue eyes and she could have sworn she saw worry in those depts. Slowly she moved her face closer to the beasts and kissed his cheek.

"You really were a knight in a former life, weren't you Ewell?" She murmured before scratching the spot between the horse's eyes. Ewell whinnied before tossing his head up, almost as if nodding. Ailith chuckled, ignoring the pain in her stomach as she did. Then she saddled the horse and together with Raleigh the group went back to Castellum.

The new women in the village had never seen Castellum so full of life. It may have been a military post but as the days drew closer to the celebrations everyone seemed to be in a good mood. Even Romans treated the Britons with some respect compared to normal. It gave the knights more days without problems and fewer patches up jobs for Ailith. Right now she, Marlow and Vanora stood on the wall, watching and waiting for the knights to come back from a small check up on a close by village.

"Do you both have dresses to wear for the festival?" Vanora asked casually, leaning against the stone wall as she watched her companions. Marlow grinned and nodded.

"Of course! I have a date that I would like to impress." Her cheeks coloured slightly but she didn't look nervous.

"Gawain?" Ailith guessed, smirking when the pink colour on Marlow's cheeks darkened.

"Well of course it's Gawain!" Vanora cried, laughing slightly as well. They had earned a few glances from the soldiers standing a little bit away from them but most of the time they simply ignored each other.

"You'd better treat him good, Marlow. A pretty girl like you could be heart breaker." Ailith teased, but there was a hint of complete seriousness in her grey orbs. "I think of him as a brother and wouldn't want to be the shoulder he cries on."

"What about you Ailith? Has someone asked you yet?" The red head asked, turning her attention back to the dark haired one. A faint blush dusted her cheeks before the woman rolled her eyes and nodded slightly.

"Tristan asked me yesterday morning before they left." And it had been a pleasant distraction from the thoughts she had been turning in her mind. "And yes, I have a dress."

"You must show us!" Marlow nearly shouted, leaping to her feet along with Vanora. Ailith gave both a strange look before shrugging.

"You will see it when we go to get ready. We still are gathering at your house, right Van?" The red head nodded once more before turning back to the path.

"Oh! There they are. Seems as though no one's been hurt." There was relief in her voice. All the men were like brothers to both her and Ailith. Marlow still didn't know them all very well.

"Well, let's go greet them." Ailith said, smiling as she looked carefully at the knight ridding on a dappled horse. The other women agreed and they went down the stairs and hurried to the entrance of the village.

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><p><strong>All of the knights belong to the wonderful creators of King Arthur. Ailith is mine though, you can't have her!<strong>

**Alright, so this chapter was a bit short but it was most just an into to the next bit of the story. Sorry about that.**

**So, school's starting next week and I'm going to be starting my last year of high school. This will probably mean that my posting won't be as frequent as normal but I will try my best. **

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, it took me a bit to think about what would happen. **

**Remember to review and give me your thoughts on how I could possibly make my story better. Love ya!**


	19. Chapter Seventeen

Time went by quickly and before Ailith knew it the Year End celebration was ready to be had. Lanterns and fires lit the square that the men had chosen. Even from far off the coming people could see the lights through the darkness. The island had decided to grace the night with warm winds and a clear, cloudless sky. It was a strange sight for the new members of Castellum. Ailith, Marlow and Vanora had taken to hiding in the first's bedroom so that their men wouldn't see them just yet. Though, they all knew that three certain Sarmatians stood, eagerly, outside the wooden door.

"You should just leave your hair down Ailith. I've never seen it without a braid." Marlow suggested, gazing the woman closely, trying to find some way to make her look better. The dark haired woman glanced at her from the mirror and rolled her eyes.

"Just one braid?" She asked, pouting slightly as she laced up the front of her dress. The dress she had picked out was beautiful. It made the grey in her eyes stand out along with the brown in her hair. There was a thin dress underneath, black in colour and comfortable. Over top she wore a lovely blood red cover. It fit perfectly with the black dress and laced up on the front along with some Celtic stitching on the back. The sleeves were tight along Ailith's upper arms before billowing out around her fingertips. The neck line was a nice square cut, showing a bit of cleavage for show. And as Marlow had suggested she wore her out down, with one simple plait coming down from her temple. On her feet she wore, for once in her life, matching red slippers. Something she could dance in.

Vanora sighed and ran a brush through the dark hair once more before nodding. She let the girl up to finish with her hair and turned to their blond companion. Marlow was clad in a deep green dress. It fit her features, the dark contrasting against fair. The back laced up, making the dress fit Marlow in every which way. It fell around her feet nicely, and the neck line was a perfect swoop just over her chest. The sleeves had two parts. The actual sleeve clung to the girls arms and on top of that was a billowy part that Vanora moved out of the way. Instead of having her hair up, Ailith had braiding her younger friend's hair delicately, interweaving flowers and buds into the golden tresses. Green slippers were worn on her feet.

"I am positive that Bors will love what you're wearing Van." Marlow smiled at the older woman, watching a blush creep slowly from the red head's cheeks. Vanora was wearing a violet dress of silk, thanks to Arthur. It fell around her body like it was made for her and had buttons up the sleeves. The neck was square, like Ailith's, but came up higher. She wore a necklace around her neck, a pendant of a star in a circle. A symbol of their religion. Marlow wore something along the same lines over her dress and Ailith wore her mother's necklace in plain view tonight.

"Come, shall we join the others now?" Ailith said with a smile on her lips. The others nodded in agreement and smiled as well.

Ailith walked over to the door, grabbing her thin cloak on the way. The three men stood outside the door, leaning on either the wall or the rail with bored expressions. Once they noticed the door opening all three stood straighter and tried to look uninterested. Sadly, once Bors saw his lover that all went down the drain.

"My flower, you look absolutely beautiful." He uttered, flying over to the red head and lifting her into his arms.

"Put me down you big brut!" She snapped, but the words were lost when a smile slipped over her lips. Ailith laughed and went to stand with Tristan.

The scout leaned down and pressed his lips against his woman's forehead and whispered to her, "You look lovely tonight." Ailith smiled and weaved her fingers through his. Tristan squeezed their hands before they looked up to the others. Bors had his arm slung over his lover, a large grin on his face while Vanora smiled softly, trying to hide it from the knight. Gawain and Marlow were pretty much in their own world, staring into the others eyes and smiling.

"Shall we leave them be?" Ailith whispered raising an eyebrow at the soon to be couple's exchange. Tristan nodded and turned them around towards the stair way.

* * *

><p>The town square was beautiful. It was lit up with candles, torches, and decorations with silver colours. Ailith smiled and pulled away from her group to twirl in the light. Vanora grinned and joined her, grabbing the other's hand and turning her twirling into a dance with Marlow following close behind. The men went immediately to the bar, meeting with the other knights and turned to watch other the women in their group. It was interesting, seeing the three of them so light hearted after coming here. With Vanora the only time she let herself be this free was during these events. With the other two they had never seen the smiles that they are giving right now. Smiles filled with joy and carelessness. Bors might even be able to get his lover a bit tipsy tonight.<p>

Through the evening this seemed to escalate. Vanora did drink a bit more than normal, Galahad found a pretty woman from the market to dance with, Bors was already drunk and the others simply seemed to be enjoying themselves. At the moment Gawain was dancing around in the crowd with Marlow, working his way to possibly a first kiss. The two laughed as the blond knight twirled the young woman. Tristan and Ailith had found a quieter corner to sit together in and simply watch and enjoy the night.

"So, in the morning we'll be leaving then?" Ailith quietly asked the scout, not turning from her position within her knight's arms.

"Yes," he answered tightening his arms around her. The young woman sighed put quickly stood up.

"If we're going to be leaving tomorrow that I want a dance before someone comes and steals me away. Tristan grumbled but let her pull him up. They moved towards the dancing and fell into step immediately. It was a dance that they had both recognized from their home land. Ailith smiled and let her body relax; swaying with the music, letting herself follow through with the steps she had leant as a child. Tristan lifted her right arm above her head and twisted her around and then back to face him.

"Why hello there. I haven't seen you in a while." Ailith grinned, kissing his scruffy chin before twirling away from him. When they both paused for a moment they saw Lancelot coming over to them, a grim expression on his face. "Lance, what is it?" Ailith quietly asked, keeping her eyes on his. She pulled away from Tristan a bit, keeping her hand in his but the rest of her attention was on the dark knight.

"Arthur has just been informed that the princess has arrived ahead of schedule. They are waiting for us and are growing impatient.

"You're kidding me."

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><p><strong>All of the knights belong to the wonderful creators of King Arthur. Ailith is mine though, you can't have her!<strong>

**Alright, so I'm really sorry that I've taken so long to get such a short chapter out! But I was havign a major writer's block. But I have good news! I know where this story is going now! **

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and sorry again for the length.**

**Remember to review and give me your thoughts on how I could possibly make my story better. Love ya!**


	20. Chapter Eighteen

They packed quickly, leaving barely any time for Ailith to change out of the dress. Those damn Roman's just had to decide to come now. Just when they all got their night to be themselves. Hell Ailith actually saw Tristan let loose a few smiles at Bors drunkenness. Oh shoot. Bors. What were they going to so with the round giant? Maybe tie him into his horse's saddle? She's offer up the suggestion to Arthur.

The dark haired healer changed into something new tonight. Tight leather trousers that stopped just at her hips, a billowy white shirt with leather vest over top of that. She planned to be warm on this trip. She slipped her feet into darker leather boots and grabbed a long cloak from its spot draped over one of the two chairs in her room. Her pre-packed back was already on her bed so within seconds she was outside, rushing down to the stable.

Already there was Tristan and Galahad. Both looked grim but there was still a light air to the room. Probably from the celebration still going on just a few streets away. Ewell whinnied from his stall, rapping his hoof against the ground. Ailith sent a smile over to Tristan before gliding down to her horse's stall. The leather was worn down and soft, easy to move about in. She barely made a sound on the stone floor when she took a step.

"Hey there buddy." The woman murmured to the steed. Her hand unlatched the stall door and she found all of her gear was already placed in the corner of the stall.

"Figured you'd like the extra time to go say bye to Bega," Galahad filled in, leaning against the entry way. Ailith smiled and twisted around to drop a soft kiss onto the knight's cheek.

"Thank you Gal. Could you possibly finish up then?" She asked sweetly, already walking back out of the stall. "I really do have to go say good bye to Bega, Van and Marlow." The Healer shuttered at the thought of what the red head would do to her if she didn't.

Galahad laughed and nodded his head. "Sure, but you owe me one." He told her just before she turned out of the stable.

"You're leaving already?" Vanora growled, her dark eyes smoldering. Ailith winced, almost feeling sorry for the Roman whose orders had caught the attention of this barmaid. Behind Vanora stood Marlow and Bega, both with tears slowly building up in their eyes. Immediately Ailith rushed over to the younger of the two.

"Hey now, no tears. I'll be gone for longer than normal yes, but I'll be back in no time." Bega nodded and quickly dashed into the growing crowd of locals. The dark haired woman sighed before standing and running a hand through her hair. Her fingers snagged on a few knots, evidence of her rushing.

"Promise to bring all those boys back, you hear?" Vanora finally said after a few moments of silence between the three women. Ailith sighed and nodded her head, lowering her hand.

"I promise on my life." The other replied, grey eyes burning brightly. The barmaid nodded firmly and drew both younger women into a hug.

"Please Goddess, hear my plea. Watch over our men and Ailith as they continue the work for the Romans. Bring them back home safe and sound." Marlow whispered, pressing close to Ailith. The Healer smiled softly before moving away from the two and shifting back.

"The others are probably waiting for me at the gate already. I need to go." She turned quickly, ignoring the people on either sides of her.

The group made camp soon after leaving Castellum. The light from the sun had completely gone dark, leaving them cast into black. And yet, their scout still seemed to work fine in those conditions. He led them through the woodland with only the faint moonlight in the mist. Sometime after sundown a heavy fog had settled around the knights. Once they were settled into a well hidden opening Ailith took the time to brush down Ewell. His dark fur was slightly damp from the fog and he seemed to be enjoying the weather.

"Crazy animal," she murmured in Sarmatian. He snorted and shook her head, sending his white mane flying. "Ewell! I just brushed you!" The horse snorted and moved away to a small patch of green grass. Ailith shook her head and grabbed her bedroll. She made her way to the others, huddled around a small fire. The fog must be making it hard to make a flame. The dark haired woman dropped down beside Gawain, pressing against him for warmth.

"Not quite used to the cold yet?" The fair-haired knight asked, leaning against her as well. Ailith shook her head, letting her long hair cover her ears. Across the fire was Lancelot, splitting bread between himself and Arthur. On cue, the Healer's stomach growled loudly making her blush softly. Gawain laughed and reached into his bag. His large hands pulled out two strips of dried meat. He handed one over to Ailith and bit into the other. Eagerly the young woman bite into the chewy piece and made a face at the tangy taste.

"Yum," she muttered, sarcasm laced through her voice. Gawain and Galahad, who was on the opposite side of their blond friend, laughed, throwing their heads back as the woman glared at them. Ailith finally rolled her eyes and tore the strip of meat in half, handing the unbitten piece back to Gawain.

A shadow moved by the horses. Ailith's eyes instantly picked it up. She turned, searching out the shape in the darkness. Her hand was holding the hilt of her blade without her even realizing it. But instead of the enemy she had been anticipating, Tristan stepped out instead. The Healer sighed out in relief, her eyes following her scout as he walked over to Arthur. They exchanged a few quiet words before dark eyes turned to her grey ones. Ailith smiled softly and patted the earth beside her. Tristan looked back to Arthur, nodded and quickly walked over to the dark haired woman.

"I feel a courting coming a long." She heard one of the men whisper. Her eyes narrowed as she turned to the others.

"Ha-ha! Sorry to tell you Tiny, but you don't scare us." Lancelot teased, his eyes lit up. Ailith rolled her eyes and tossed a small stone in her brother's direction. "Hey now!"

The group laughed quietly excluding Tristan of course. The Healer smiled as they calmed, leaning into her knight's side. Without warning the scout picked up Ailith and set her on his lap. The young woman squealed in surprise, struggling against the man's sturdy arms. Her elbow hit him accidentally in the ribs and a whoosh of air went past Ailith's ear.

"Ah! Sorry Tristan!" The woman squeaked, covering her mouth and turning in the scout's lap. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

After a moment of silence she could feel the shaking inside his chest. He was laughing! How dare he? "You barbaric ass!" Ailith pushed her hands against his chest and pushed him. The shaking grew worse. "Oh shut up Tristan," she grumbled, turning around again to face the shocked expressions of the other knights. "What?" She demanded.

"You got Tristan, our Tristan, to laugh." Galahad answered his eyes wide with wonder.

"Woman, you truly are a miracle worker." Gawain agreed, staring at the couple. Arms wrapped around Ailith's waist and pulled her closer. _Well, this will be an interesting night,_ she thought to herself.

* * *

><p>When they finally arrived at the southern part of the island three days later. The caravan was already there, packed and waiting to go. Erec groaned and shook his head. "There will be no rest for us," he said quietly to Ailith. She nodded her head in agreement. This end of the island seemed much lighter than at the wall. There was less tree cover, less villages and more valley than anything. And the sun nearly broke through the clouds on multiple occasions. The Healer leaned over and patted Ewell on his broad neck.<p>

"Almost half way through boy. When this is over I'll give you all the apples you want." The horse whinnied and tossed his head.

"I swear these horses understand us. And I don't just mean emotionally. I think that they actually know what we say." Galahad said from his spot behind the two riders. Ailith looked back and smirked at the knight.

"Do they gossip too Gal? Maybe they talk about you dirty feet." Gawain and Erec burst into laughter, only to be silenced by a stern look from Lancelot.

"Be quiet you fools! We're meeting a princess. Show some manners."

"For some Roman brat? Not likely." Bors piped from in front of Erec, beside him Dagonet agreed with a nod of his head. Lancelot rolled his eyes and faced forward again.

"Sorry Lance, but you'll never win like that," Ailith pointed out, her smirk still in place.

They drew closer to the waggons and carriages, getting a better look at the people around them. The people were a mix of roman men and women along with their personal slaves. Nearly all had dark hair and dark eyes, like most romans. Only the slaves had darker skin that their masters. "I hate this." The dark haired woman hissed under her breath. Erec nodded, his dark eyes narrowed.

"The princess will look much wealthier than these people all put together." Gawain informed the woman from his place just behind her. Ailith glanced back and then forwards again, trying to pick out the woman they would be protecting.

"Oh Sir. Lancelot!" The Healer looked up just as a white blur on a tanned mare burst by them. It slowed, reviling a beautiful woman with long, black ringlets and equally black eyes, decorated with reflective makeup. Ailith glanced at her brother in confusion until the man leaned down and kissed the woman's hand.

"That is the princess?"

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><p><strong>All of the knights belong to the wonderful creators of King Arthur. Ailith is mine though, you can't have her!<strong>

**Hey guys! I'm sorry I'm taking so long to post. With the time I keep making by pushing aside homework I should be able to write all the time. But I don't :(**

**Anyways, i still need some more votes on my poll! Get to it!**

**I really hope you guys like this chapter even though I kind of slacked quite a bit with it. And this maybe be the second last chapter before the sequel.**

**Anyways, remember to review and give me your thoughts on how I could possibly make my story better. Love ya!**


	21. The End

It was definitely colder here than it was back at Castellum. Ailith actually had to pull on her cloak when they stopped for a break. She tended to ride closer to the back of the group, far enough away from Lancelot and the black haired beauty that she could still keep an eye on them but couldn't hear their conversation. It's had been going on like this for a day now. When they got to the meeting place Lance broke off from the rest of the knights and spent most of his time with Princess Marcellina. Arthur spent his time up front with Tristan, trying to find the best paths to get this mission over with faster. The Healer smiled at the thought of the dark eyed scout at the front of the path. The night before he had come back to came long after night fall. They had been just settling down for sleep after eating at their own fire and he had come up behind Ailith and pulled her over to Cadmon. He had his bedroll already set up beside the dappled horse. He took her roll and laid it out right beside his. They slept beside each other for the first time since the confession.

"Ah, looks like tiny is thinking about our charming Sir Tristan." Bors loud voice broke Ailith from her train of thought. She turned to him, a faint heat rising to her cheeks. He and Dagonet laughed to themselves, falling in on either side of Ewell.

"Shut up Bors," She muttered as she lowered her eyes. The dark haired woman felt Dagonet's eyes on her like warm blanket of comfort. She looked up at him and saw the faint smile on his lips. Ailith rolled her eyes but smiled as well. "Fine you caught me. Yes, I was thinking about Tristan." She admitted and both met burst into laughter, Bors much louder than his friend. She rolled her eyes once more before shifting in the saddle. It seemed as though the cool air made the leather hard and uncomfortable to sit on.

"It's easy to tell. Your eyes have a bit of a faraway look but you smile the slightest too."

"Good to know that I have my own personal observers." Ailith gave Bors a strange look. It wasn't very often that someone tells you that there is a certain expression you make when thinking of someone special. "But just to inform you, I wasn't thinking only of Tristan."

"Ah yes, your whore of a brother," Bors said immediately with a roll of his eyes. Ailith grinned, turning forward. Her grey eyes caught her brothers and her grin grew even more. Bors noticed and burst out laughing.

"Do I even want to know?" Gawain asked, falling back with them.

"Ah just making fun of Lancelot." Ailith filled in to the golden haired knight. He chuckled and brought his horse, Boda beside Ewell.

"I'm guessing that he didn't tell you about Marcellina?" He asked after a moment. Bors and Dagonet looked back at each other and started forwards. This was more of a sibling thing even if they weren't true blood siblings.

"No, he never told me that he knew any Romans. It was a bit of a shock."

"I bet. Maybe you should talk to him about it?" Gawain suggested only receiving a quick glare.

"Yeah, sure, right, like we'll be able to stay in the same area without fighting. I'll probably be the one to start it too." There was a long silence that was filled with the quiet chatter and horse hooves clicking on the dirt path.

"Fine, I'll tell you what happened." Ailith glanced over to him with confused look. "You deserve to know and if not from your brother I'll tell you." He nodded once before going into the story. "It was one of our first solo missions without the constant watch of Roman soldiers. We were escorting a very high up family back to the harbors. Lancelot immediately took a liking to the daughter. You can probably guess already that that was Marcellina. He was always at her side, a lot like he is now. She became obsessed with him and rarely let him out of her sight. It creeped me right the hell out. But when we finally got to the harbor she offered to take Lancelot with here. He would have continued out his fifteen years but it would be spent in Rome with a few of the other Sarmatians that were taken there. He obviously refused. Said something about this damn island being much better than that cursed lands. So, she went on to the boat and we hadn't heard from her since. And now, she's back and will probably make a muck of things again."

"Well, it's good to know that Lance doesn't only have sawdust in that head of his. I was starting to wonder." Ailith muttered with a slight smile while Gawain laughed softly.

* * *

><p>A big surprise was waiting for the Healer when she went to the knight's camp area that night. Sitting extremely close to her brother was the dark haired woman from Gawain's story. Ailith's feet paused in her graceful steps, her eyes locking onto the princess's dark ones before she purposefully sat far away from the two. Dagonet and Galahad looked at her as she sat down between the two, a slight frown on her face. She couldn't sit beside Tristan since he was off somewhere in the forest around them. She refused to sit with Lancelot and Gawain was sitting on her brother's other side.<p>

"No more stiffness from being in the saddle all day?" Galahad asked, trying to make easy conversation through the tense air. Ailith smiled at his sad attempts.

"No, Ewell and I are working much better together and I seem to be getting used to the long hours of riding." She leaned around the youngest knight to look at Gawain. "Have any extra bread?"

"Yeah, here you go." The blond knight broke a half from his small loaf and handed it to the woman. She quickly scarfed it down and stood up. She was making things awkward with her friends and she didn't want that. So she said good night to the knights and went back into the darker sections of the camp, where the horses were tied.

"Hey there Ewell," she murmured in Sarmatian, pressing her forehead to dark horse's shoulder. "Sometimes I wonder if it would be better to be an animal. Maybe just let Wolf back in, let her take control for a while like I used to." Dark hair concealed her eyes when she pulled away. "No, that would just be running away. I'm over that." The Sarmatian tongue flowed freely out of her mouth until she heard footsteps behind her. The young woman wiped around to see the princess behind her with a glare in her eyes.

"Are all Sarmatians so uptight?" She asked aloud without really caring. Ailith frowned, placing her hand on Ewell's neck.

"Is there something you'd like?"

Marcellina sneered, her lovely face changing to that of a jealous woman. "I want you to stay away from Lancelot."

_Oh Goddess, what did I do to deserve this one?_ Ailith thought to herself. "Hate to break it to you but I have no interest in him." She answered, keeping her tone polite but cold.

"That's why I saw you staring at him earlier?"

"That's not it! He's just -"

"I couldn't care less what a Sarmatian slave has to say. Stay away from him or I'll have you removed." Marcellina threatened, her voice willed with nothing much truth. She really thought that she'd be able to do it. The Healer rolled her eyes and turned away from the Roman.

"Whatever. Better go run off to the warm for before you freeze to death."

* * *

><p>During the next few days that princess was practically clinging to Lancelot. She'd laugh at just about anything he said, her laughter sounding like soft bells. She always had some skin touching his. It disgusted Ailith. She kept to herself or with Tristan; both times she rarely had to talk. It suited her just fine. She even went out scouting with her knight when he allowed her. It made her feel a bit more useful on this long trip. And of course, Tristan has his very blunt ways of getting information out of her.<p>

"So what's with you and the princess?" Ailith blinked from the sudden break in silence. She looked over at him with a raised eyebrow.

"She thinks that I like-like Lancelot." The scout's head jerks back to her with narrowed eyes. "Yeah, my thoughts exactly," she rolled her eyes and patted Ewell's thick neck. "She threated to 'have me removed'."

"Is that so," he trailed off, turning his head forward again. They fell silent once more until they came back to the caravans. Just before they went their separate ways Tristan pulled the dark haired woman close to him. "Maybe it's better if you stayed with either Dagonet or Gawain when I'm not with you." He whispered to her, his hand light on her hip. She nodded slowly and moved away slightly. He leaned down quickly a snuck in a quick kiss. Ailith pulled back and noted the faint smile on her knight's lips.

"Oh go report to Arthur," she laughed and pushed his shoulder back. He smirked and kissed her once more before going off to find his commander. Ailith shook her head and took both Ewell and Cadmon over to the other horses. Lancelot just happened to be there with Aelred, running a brush through his dark mane. The woman paused a moment before continuing to tie off the creatures following behind her.

"Haven't seen much of your tiny," Lancelot commented without turning to look at her. Ailith frowned and turned her head slightly towards him.

"Probably because you're pasted to that woman."

"I'm not pasted; I'm her body guard for this trip."

"Oh you mean like you were last time you saw her?" Lancelot frowned and turned fully to face his sister. Aelred pressed his muzzle to the man's shoulder and pushed slightly.

"How do you know about that?" He asked with narrowed eyes. Ailith looked over at him with a glare, tugging off the saddle from Cadmon.

"Since _you_ didn't tell me, Gawain did. He told me about how obsessed the two of you were." Just then a light laugh sounded from behind them. The siblings turned and found Marcellina watching them with a smile and a Roman man standing beside her.

"Oh Lance, what are doing here with her?" Lancelot looked between the two dark haired women with a frown on his face. Marcellina smiled sweetly but when her eyes locked with Ailith's the Healer felt heated anger directed at her.

_Oh Gods, honestly, what have I done to deserve this? _

"I'm just discussing something with Ailith. We had a bit of a disagreement." Marcellina laughed a bit and hooked her arm with Lancelot's, leading him away.

* * *

><p>"Ailith wake up! We're under attack!" The young woman jolted awake, eyes wide. Tristan was close, his hand on her shoulder. Ailith blinked quickly and stood from her bed roll. She grabbed her swords and quickly followed Tristan's lead into the hoard of rogue men. Three days. It only took three days for Marcellina to take up her threat. Even if she hadn't said it outright Ailith had a feeling. Plus with the princess constantly watched the other woman. Best plan on action; stay beside Tristan at all times.<p>

"Tristan, don't let me out of your sight." The scout looked back at her with confused eyes. But when he saw her face, hard with the knowledge she had, he nodded. They cut through the rogues like a gust of wind through the valley. No man or the occasional woman stood after the Sarmatians got through.

But of course, accidents happen.

Ailith, while fighting off a beast of a man wielding a large axe became separated from the knights. Her battle went on longer than she would have liked. She twisted and cut and twirled like she always had but this wasn't enough. Until finally she could a weak spot. The man never protected his legs. He was too busy attacking of warding up upper body attacks. The young woman took a quick swing downwards, cutting into his flesh easily. The rogue moaned and fell to the ground with a rumbling 'thud'. Ailith walked over to him and quickly rammed her sword through his heart. With one more twitch of his body he was dead.

And at that exact moment something jabbed her in the back. Nothing nearly as painful as a sword or axe, but small and sharp like a nail. Ailith reached around and plucked out a dart. They really were after her.

The Healers legs began to weaken and shake from the weight of her body. She crumpled to the ground, her hand covering her face. "Ailith!" She heard someone shout. But her mind was starting to fog, she couldn't place the voice. Grey eyes started to darken and she felt the rest of her body hit the earth faintly. Then everything went numb and then just dark.

Darkness.

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><p><strong>All of the knights belong to the wonderful creators of King Arthur. Ailith is mine though, you can't have her!<strong>

**Alright everyone, ladies and gents. I have offically finished "A Breeze". I am so proud of my work and so glad that I've had so many people like my fanfiction. And a BIIIIIIIIG thanks to xXxFantasyAmorexXx for making that awesome video for this story. I absolutly loved it.**

**Now, some of you might like to know that I will be starting a sequel once winter break starts. That way I have this week to work on "Long Forgotten". I miss Galiene :(**

**But now, once again I thank you all for reading this and sticking with the story for so long. **

**Love ya!**


	22. AUTHORS NOTE

AUTHOR'S NOTE!

I have got the sequel started and the first chapter up! I hope everyone who enjoyed this story will go and read it. It's called Change in Darkness. Hope you like it! Love ya.


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